Pokemon Summit
by Redenzione
Summary: In times of great need some of the most powerful and respected Pokemon trainers, breeders, researchers and their Pokemon come together to fight a common enemy. However, this time they have no idea as to who or what the enemy is. Summoned by an old friend, Ash Ketchum makes his way to the Indigo Plateau to face not only an unknown evil, but to also confront his past. AAML
1. Chapter 1

**Pokemon Summit**

**Chapter one**

* * *

The Arcanine that had been found was sent to the nearest Pokémon Centre and carefully monitored for any further erratic behaviour. Nurse Joy had told them that neither she, nor any of the other Doctors knew what was wrong with it, but it was showing the same symptoms as the others and inevitably, just like the other Pokémon found, those symptoms would lead to death.

The Elite Four watched from the meeting room, the big screen showed not only the worried face of Nurse Joy as she explained the latest bite marks and odd symbols the Arcanine had tried to scratch into himself, but also the Pokémon.

The once glorious mane was matted and there were large clumps missing. Arcanine was skinny, you could see its ribs and no matter how much or what kind of food was given to the poor Pokémon, it would be found the next morning vomited up.

The scratches were deep and some had been stitched up but then re-opened by Arcanine, some of them had become infected and were starting to ooze. The scratches, thought once just to be a form of mental self-harm, were now more than that. The closest anyone could compare them to were some kind of ancient runes, all unrecognisable.

The worst were the eyes. The blank, unseeing eyes. It was as though there was nothing left inside the poor Pokémon but an urge to get these symbols displayed somewhere.

They had sedated the poor creature for now, but it wouldn't be too long before the Pokémon awoke and would no doubt start the scratching again.

Nurse Joy looked as devastated as Lance felt as she relayed the latest information, or lack thereof that they had. "I'm sorry Master Lance, but we still have no idea as to what could be causing this kind of behaviour."

The Dragon Master did his best to curb his frustration on the matter entirely, but found that he couldn't help digging his nails into the large table in front of him.

"Thank you for the update Nurse Joy," Agatha interjected as gently and soothingly as she could in the current situation. She knew the lack of progress was getting to Lance, he was a 'do-er' - a man of action, he liked to get things done. However, there were certain processes and systems that had to be used by the Elite Four in the name of the Indigo Plateau in times like this; they were slow and cautious – not good for a man like Lance.

Lorelei and Bruno also murmured their thanks while Nurse Joy bowed her head in recognition, Lance gave a swift jerk of his head to show his appreciation and the video link was severed.

There were a few moments of silence before Lance pushed back from his chair and gave a loud roar of frustration while banging his fists on the table. He took deep breaths in and out trying to calm himself down, the rest of the group was quiet and let him get out his aggravation and rage.

"It has been," Lance began in a shaky voice, "four months and no change." His head was bowed as he spoke, he didn't want them to see the censure in his eyes although there was no doubt they knew what he felt. "Four months of countless, senseless death with no immediate respite or potential treatment for these afflicted Pokémon."

"Lance-" Lorelei tried to interject but was cut off.

"I will not stand around any more and let it continue!" Lance said loudly as though daring someone to argue.

"And what do you suppose we do? Send in our own Pokémon in to suffer the same fate?" Lorelei spat back with a glare for the Dragon Master.

"No, I propose I send myself in!"

There was another silence, this time it was shock that kept the other members of the Kanto Elite Four from speaking.

Satisfied, Lance finally sat down and waited for the inevitable backlash.

"We cannot permit that Lance," Agatha spoke up again after a spell.

Lance scoffed loudly and turned to look at her, "I don't need your permission-"

"As the Champion you are permitted certain-"

"-I am through sitting around like a bunch of stuck-up-"

"-leniencies, but let me be rightly understood!" Lance broke off at Agatha's terse tone. It wasn't often that the woman raised her voice, so when she did it was rare that anyone would interrupt her.

"You are not going," Agatha spoke each word harshly, "I refuse-" she continued and raised an eyebrow at Lance who had opened his mouth only to shut it again, "to send our _Champion_ to a place from which none of our messengers have come back and from where Pokémon have come back completely out of their minds."

Lance clenched his jaw and turned to look away from Agatha's hard gaze, "then what do you suggest?" He returned almost petulantly and looked around at the group, "the first suggestion, 'waiting and seeing what will happen' was a complete bust, shock horror."

"It's better than running head-first into something we know nothing about," Bruno finally spoke up, Lance did his best not to roll his eyes. "If we had done that, then all of us could have lost our Pokémon and then where would we be? We could hardly call ourselves the Elite then."

"And what if one of us had come back with information, vital information that we may need?" Lance argued back, "we are the Elite Four for a reason – we and our Pokémon are stronger than your average messenger."

"The rules state-"

Lance groaned loudly, "hang the bloody rules – they're as old as anything made by bitter old men who never wanted to do anything but sit on their own power."

"Be that as it may Lance," Agatha couldn't help the amusement in her voice at Lance's accurate description of the first Elite Four, "they are there for a reason, and you as Champion should adhere to them most of all."

Lance couldn't help but curse bitterly, being Champion did have its perks but as always those perks also came with rules and regulations, two things Lance had never been fond of. "Well then what?" Lance threw up a hand and brought back down on the wooden armrest of his chair just as carelessly, "I can't send my Pokémon or myself out to investigate and-"

Lance stopped as the screen blinked suddenly and a beeping sound came through the speakers indicating someone wished to speak with them. "It's from the front gate," Agatha murmured, "it's coming in as urgent," she added, surprised.

Lance touched the buttons on the desk in front of him, almost immediately one of the guards faces popped up, his voice was shaky and his face pale. "F-forgive me Masters," his greeting bow was hardly that, he could barely bend over properly he was shaking so much.

"Not at all," Agatha spoke up, "please tell us what has happened." The rest of the Elite Four exchanged glances while the guard nodded as best he could and tried to control himself. "I think…it's best if you are shown…I…we…" the stuttering guard was replaced with the pavement outside the Indigo Plateau.

The video link had been transferred to a hand-held camera and someone was narrating what had happened while walking down past the gateway, "none of the guards saw what happened, it was a blink-and-you-miss-it sort of a deal. One minute nothing was there and the next…" Lance sat further up in his chair as the walking slowed down and the rest of the Elite Four leaned forward to get a better look at what was so urgent.

"Please be warned," the narrator's voice came again, "it's quite graphic." Slowly the camera panned up, small trails of red came into view - blood. It had yet to dry and was slowly making its way towards to camera holder's feet. The first thing that came into view was a naked male torso, Lorelei let out a small cry and averted her face as the torso was revealed to have no right arm, just a gaping hole.

The camera panned over the body and Lance felt himself go rigid, as it turned out there were no arms or legs on the entire torso, just four gaping holes where the limbs should have been. Agatha let out a gasp, the eyes were gone from the head and the tongue was missing.

"Wait!" Lance spoke up quickly as the camera left the body, "go back to it."

"Lance, please! "Lorelei let out a plea, her face was still averted and she was extremely pale.

"Don't look then, but – stop! There." The camera was fixated on the chest and carved into the flesh was a symbol, a familiar looking rune.

"That's-?!" Agatha stood up and pointed to the screen, her shock was evident.

Lance's face was grim as he turned off the video call without a word and Lorelei let out a sob of relief. "It's exactly the same as what is on the Arcanine." Lance finished Agatha's sentence and the older woman slumped back into her chair, speechless.

"Not only that, he was one of our messengers." Lance's head shot up as did Agatha's to stare at Bruno, the quiet martial artist was staring hard at the wooden table and not meeting anyone's eyes, "I recognized the face, or what was left of it."

The only sound in the room for a while was Lorelei's intake of breath as she tried to control herself not to cry; Lance and Bruno were staring at the table while Agatha was sitting upright in her chair, her face extremely pale.

"Aren't you glad you listened to us now?" Lorelei spoke up finally, her voice was tight with emotion and Lance didn't even bother to answer her jab.

When he spoke it was more towards Agatha, trying to garner her permission more than anyone else's, "something has to be done, what is happening to the Pokémon is bad enough, but that…defilement of a human body." Lance swallowed hard, still trying to take in all that he had just seen. He turned in his seat to face Agatha more clearly; she was still pale and seemed to not be altogether there. "Agatha, please let me go. We - I cannot keep sitting here and do _nothing_."

Lorelei and Bruno both turned their attentions to Agatha, the older woman stared at the room walls for a while before finally giving her answer, "we wait-"

"WE CANNOT KEEP WAITING!" Lance finally exploded loudly; he stood up from his chair and walked around the wooden desk. He pointed to the screen, "did you not see what was just on the screen?" He looked around wildly at Lorelei, Bruno and Agatha, "what if it happens again? What if it never stops?"

He let that sink in for a few moments before walking back around to the front of the table and placed both hands on it to lean, "what if it starts happening to Pokémon?" He finally asked, "could you bear seeing that on your screen? When you were one of four that maybe could have done something about it?"

He clenched his right hand into a fist and took a moment before standing up straight to look at Agatha, "we need a plan and right now we don't have time to waste, I don't want to disrespect any of you but as of now I'm through playing the game. None of you can stop me from going." Lance's ultimatum rang through the room; he was still staring directly at Agatha who still hadn't made any acknowledgement to his words.

Lorelei was looking worriedly at both Agatha and Lance; Bruno had quietly stood during Lance's speech, as if getting ready to stop Lance at Agatha's command.

Finally, Agatha let out a loud sigh and shook her head gently. She turned her head up to look at Lance and suddenly she looked so much older to him, he found he didn't like it. "We wait-"

"Agatha!"

"-for the replies."

Lance closed his mouth abruptly and the three all turned to look at Agatha who was starting to rise out of her seat, "none of us have any idea what we are dealing with, none of the Professors have come back with anything concrete and our messengers have come back mutilated. Our Pokémon are becoming or being turned mentally unstable and none of us have any clues as to the cause, nor how to stop it. I think we are all well out of our depth."

Agatha turned her steely gaze upon Lance, "we need to prepare. Lance was right - we need answers, we need a plan and I don't think we can do this by ourselves. Elite we may be however, there are many out there who have seen and done a lot more than we have." She raised an eyebrow at Lance who nodded briefly.

"What are you saying Agatha?" Lorelei asked and her concern was palpable.

The older woman took a deep breath, "I am saying we need to prepare for a Summit."

"There hasn't been a Summit in over a century." Lorelei finally managed to gasp out.

"Your point?" Lance asked belligerently while rolling his eyes and turning away from the group.

"My point," Lorelei returned heatedly also standing up, "is that is it really necessary to go that far? In the time since the Elite Four's inception there have only been two Summit's, the last one happening before any of us were even born! How can we be sure that this calls for such an event?"

"Because we have no other alternative, "Agatha returned. "Our first choice did not work," Lance snorted which Agatha chose to ignore, "and we cannot risk sending out more precious lives with nothing to show for it. If you have any other ideas please say them, I did not come upon this decision lightly."

Lorelei didn't say anything in reply and Agatha nodded shortly, "so then, what say you Master Bruno?"

"Yes." Bruno spoke without hesitation.

Agatha nodded, "you already all know my answer – yes, what say you Master Lorelei?"

Bruno turned to look at her and Lance turned his head into profile so that he could gauge her reaction. For a Summit to happen, all of the Elite Four had to agree, if one did not then the Summit would not take place and another alternative would have to be found. Agatha was confident that Lance would agree to the Summit, if nothing else it called for more action and more ideas – something that was desperately needed and he responded well to.

To Agatha, Lorelei was the wild card, the unknown. By the sound of it she didn't want to have a Summit; the rareness of such an event meant that in only the direst of circumstances were they held, owning up to that and not being able to fix a problem was something none of them, as the Elite Four, wanted to own up to.

Lorelei's 'yes' was quiet, but not hesitant and Agatha sent her a smile to show her appreciation. She turned her attention to Lance who had turned his head back and now all the three could see was his back.

"What say you, Master Lance?"

He could feel their stares on his back, his arms were crossed and he clenched his fists into the fabric of his long-sleeved shirt. A part of him wanted to say no and take the risk, take the chance that he alone could figure it out and then they wouldn't have to involve anyone else to get potentially hurt. He knew it was foolish, but the idea of a Summit was so extreme... Agatha bringing it up meant that she was scared. It meant that she didn't know what to do, their options were not extensive and she didn't want him to end up like that messenger.

He turned to his thoughts back to the Arcanine he had seen earlier and then imagined his Pokémon suffering the same fate, looking it from that perspective made the decision easy.

He didn't bother turning around in the end, "yes."

Agatha took in a deep breath; the atmosphere around them seemed to feel more charged with their unanimous decision, "you all know what to do."

Bruno and Lorelei nodded, Agatha looked at Lance who was still standing with his back to them, "make it in a month's time," Agatha continued, "it should be long enough for the letters to get where they need to and for those to make the journey here. Lorelei and I will see to the accommodation here in the Plateau. Bruno, you make sure Victory Road is still cut off at the other end. I don't want anyone coming through there."

Lorelei and Bruno both nodded and headed off to their respective chambers to prepare their summoning letters. After they had left Agatha walked over to Lance and touched his arm gently, "I know it's not what you wanted and I understand that time is of the essence-"

"I won't go." Lance interrupted quietly; he touched the hand on his arm gently before disentangling himself and heading to the exit.

* * *

A few hours later Lance stood on the battlements of the Indigo Plateau looking towards Victory Road, if it wasn't for the letter in his hand and to an extent the promise he made to Agatha, he may have just released his Dragonite and flew over there himself.

Victory Road was a challenge in and of itself, it was a victory just getting through the damn thing let alone challenging many trainers after that and then the Elite Four. Very few managed to conquer all of that, the Elite Four and Lance were some on a very short list that had managed to make it to the finals and win, then following that beat a member of the Elite to take their place.

Lance could only think of two that had beaten him, he didn't know where one had gone – if he was even still alive. His summons had been sent earlier with the Pidgeot that was kept at the Plateau. The other Lance held the summons for in his hand, it was probably the most important letter that was to be sent out and as such he would only entrust it to his fastest Dragonite. It needed to reach him.

He reached a hand down to his Pokéball strapped to his waist and tapped twice, almost immediately his Dragonite popped out of the ball. The Pokémon did a couple of lazy circles in the air to stretch itself out before turning her full attention on Lance.

Lance held out the letter and holder, "this is important. I need you to take this to Ash Ketchum and it needs to get there as fast as possible and without fail."

Dragonite took the letter gently from Lance and stared at it for a few moments before looking back at her Master, Lance shook the holder gently to encourage his Pokémon to get on with things. "Please, I need you to do this for me. I know it's nothing I've ever asked of you before, but-"

Lance broke off as the holder was taken from his hands, he watched as the letter was placed in the holder which was then strapped around his Pokémon. "Thank you, you remember Ash?"

Lance smiled gently as his Pokémon gave him a disgruntled look, "I know you don't like losing, but he did earn it. Maybe we have become too lax with our training." Lance added that last bit slyly and was rewarded with a small slap to the face by Dragonite's tail as she zoomed off in to the sunset.

Lance watched his Pokémon go fondly, he knew Dragonite would do what he had asked to the very best of her ability, but the feeling of not having his Pokémon close to him was something that didn't sit too well with him.

More than anything, Lance hoped that Ash would answer his summons. Technically he should have been answering Ash's, but Ash had never wanted to be Champion. Staying in one place wasn't his forte.

Lance slowly made his way down the battlements to get back inside the Plateau; all there was left to do now was to wait.

* * *

**~end chapter one~**

* * *

**It's been a while since I have planned to write anything this 'substantial'. And by that I mean chaptered – not sure currently on the length. **

**I thought I would just throw this one up here and see what kind of response it got. **

**This story has been rummaging around upstairs for a long while and right now I am quite excited about it. I have a basic body in mind – and there is still a little bit of research I need to do.**

**As you can see – yes Lance is Champion of Kanto region, which is debatable really. I know he is considered that in the Johto version of the games, but as for the Kanto games you end up fighting Gary/Red/Your Rival, for the title. **

**Suspend disbelief a little yes? **

**As for timeline – I'm going to pretend that this latest region (Unova) doesn't exist. Sorry for all who enjoy the characters and Pokémon from there, but there are just too many for my poor brain to keep up with. So basically expect most of the mains from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh regions – Plus a few characters thrown in that I really like and may or may not play a big role in this. Or at least have a side-story of their own. **

**Ages – everyone is older, legal, etc. There will come a smidge of past that will need to catch up with the present in terms of where everyone as at – there are a few non-subtle hints in here referencing that. **

**So finally, any questions, comments or concerns – please don't hesitate to ask via review or PM. I would like to know what you all think. **


	2. Chapter 2

Pokémon Summit 

Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything affiliated with Pokémon

* * *

Ash was dozing lightly beneath a large Willow tree, he was resting his chin on his clavicle and his cap was pushed down to hide his face from the brief slivers of sunlight that cut through the gently swinging branches and splayed onto his face. The heat of the sun was a nice contrast to the cool breeze; the river they were resting near was crystal clear and shimmering in the sunlight.

He could hear Brock pottering around getting food ready for their lunch; Dawn was splashing around with Piplup near the river. Her shrieking and the splashing sounds stopped him from sleeping completely.

His legs were stretched out and crossed at the ankles, Pikachu rested on his legs where a large beam of sunlight came down not blocked by the droopy branches. It had been a while since the group had stopped for any great period of time, even overnighters in towns were just that, they would arrive into the nearest town at night with barely any time to check into Pokémon Centers at all - if they weren't full to begin with - and then would keep going early that next morning.

Their travelling had not only worn them down, but their Pokémon as well. When they had found the idyllic spot it had been an easy decision to sit down, take a load off and rest for however long they deemed necessary.

"Not a cloud in the sky!" Dawn sighed happily as she came back up the riverbank with a chirping Piplup. Ash nodded gently and continued dozing against his tree, the two sat in silence with their Pokémon, enjoying the sunshine.

Dawn didn't last long to Ash's amusement, she and Piplup were full of energy even with the amount of non-stop travelling they had done recently. Ash could hear Brock patiently answering Dawn's questions about lunch and possibly dinner, trying to block out the voices Ash breathed in the scent of the area and nearby flowers native to the region.

"Fancy a battle, Trainers?" Ash finally cracked open his eyes and turned his head up so he could have a look from under his cap visor. Two young Trainers stood on the road looking down at them; Ash quickly surveyed the Pokéball's held in a belt at each of their waists – six each. He wondered how many actually had a Pokémon in them.

Brock raised a hand in greeting with a genial smile on his face while Dawn waved energetically and greeted them loudly, "hi!"

The two trainers came off the road and made their way towards their small camp, Ash was content to sit and watch as the two nosied around their camp uncaring of how rude they were being. Ash was pretty sure they hadn't noticed him yet; he could feel Pikachu's ears twitching and knew that his Pokémon was awake and aware they had company.

"Nice little set-up you have here," they complimented the cooking utensils and such that Brock had picked up over their many years of travelling, they were happy and friendly but Ash had felt the implied ruthless challenge they had offered a few moments before.

Dawn was already up from her seat next to the cooker, eager to chat. Brock was more cautious; he sent a subtle but telling look to Ash who threw up a quick hand gesture to show he was conscious of what was happening.

Ash knew that Brock was more than capable of taking on most trainers; however the two of them knew better than to underestimate any trainer, especially in the situation they were in. Already their Pokémon were tired and the group was still fairly far from the nearest Pokémon centre that any of them knew of. Dawn, while being a more than capable Coordinator, still wasn't the most intuitive Trainer and tended to focus too much on flowery attacks and not enough on her defense.

The last thing they needed was an over-the-top battle with some hot-shot young trainers who didn't know when to give up and would no-doubt send out some powerful attack just to show-off.

"Where are you guys headed?" The two Trainers looked at each other before answering Dawn's question, "not really sure, just the nearest town. "

Dawn nodded lightly, "where did you start from?" She continued her conversation with the two as Brock finished the food preparation. Although she probably didn't know it, Dawn was helping to provide Ash with useful information. His eyes had narrowed when they had answered Dawn's first question, it was a fair distance between towns, so for the two to be so cavalier about their journey made Ash wonder what exactly it was they were doing out on the road.

While there was the obvious – collecting badges to enter into the region's League, there was also heading to towns that held competitions for Coordinators and such. As far as Ash was aware, there were no competitions for coordinators in the nearest town nor was there a gym to prepare for battles.

Many Trainers had no set goal in mind and just set off on journey with their Pokémon; however by the looks of these guys Ash suspected that it wasn't quite the case, he also wondered as to the state of their Pokémon.

"So how's about that battle?" One of the Trainers managed to sneak in between Dawn's continuous questions, he clipped off a Pokéball from his belt and let it fly into the air releasing a menacing looking Furret.

In the midst of one her questions, Dawn stopped briefly and turned to look at Brock who stood-up. "Thanks, but we are here for a rest not a battle. You're welcome to share our lunch with us before you continue on your way."

The once friendly look had now vanished from the Trainer's faces at Brock's suggestion, "you can't reject an offer of a battle!" It was the only response Brock received before the Furret suddenly launched into a tackle meant for Piplup.

"Hey!" Dawn shouted, Brock's hand flew to his belt but Ash got there first.

"Pikachu – Thundershock," with a quick leap up Pickachu had sent a strong electric current towards the Furret who let out a squeak of pain when the shock met its intended target.

Piplup had fainted and was now resting in Dawn's arms; Dawn was sitting behind Brock who had released his Forretress in defense of himself and Dawn.

Ash idly walked over to the two trainers, he kept his face deliberately obscured. The last thing he needed was people seeking him out for more battles when they heard he was around. Pikachu was having a stare-down with the opposing Furret.

The two Trainers had balked at Ash's arrival "where did you come from?" One asked while looking around, as if he had expected Ash to have magically sprung up from a hole in the ground.

"Are we battling or not?" Ash responded, not even bothering to answer the question. Pikachu let sparks fly out of his cheeks as a challenge, to the Furret's credit he didn't back down, although his trainer now didn't look as willing.

Ash finally surmised they had thought Dawn and Brock easy targets, easy to win against. Young Trainers with big egos and yet not willing to play with the big boys. Little did they know that had any of them been at full strength, all three of them could probably lay waste to the two of them.

"One-on-one, your Furret against Pikachu." Ash spoke commandingly and barely giving the trainer time to nod his agreement, he gave Pikachu his next attack.

"Pikachu – Iron Tail."

Pikachu darted forward and his tail started glowing in preparation.

"Hold up!" The Trainer with the Furret shouted loudly with a panicked tone, he held up his hands up in a surrender gesture, however with one well-practised flick of its tail Pikachu connected with the Furret's mid-section and sent the poor Pokémon flying backwards up and onto the road.

"Furret!" Its Trainer almost fell up the bank in its hurry to see the Pokémon; Ash kept a close eye as he watched the Furret push away the offered help to get up. It was shaking from the effort to remain standing and one of its eyes was half closed, Ash didn't want to smile but he couldn't help it, the Pokémon had more guts than the two Trainers combined. He waited patiently while the Furret made its way down the grassy bank back to face Pikachu again.

Looking at the sheen of its coat Ash noted that the Pokémon was probably very well cared for, but like their little gang these two Trainers had probably been travelling a lot and didn't realize the effect it would have on their Pokémon. Pokémon didn't automatically heal once they went back into a Pokéball and by the looks of the Furret and how in only two moves Pikachu, even in his own tiredness, had managed to reduce Furret to this state; Ash reckoned that these two Trainers probably hadn't understood that fully.

Finally stumbling back into place, the Furret straightened itself and waited patiently for its trainer's next command.

Ash took a peek at the two trainers, they had followed the Pokémon back down the bank but now looked at a loss at what to do next. Ash gathered they had probably thought that the match would end after two moves – from their side.

"Are you going to call out a move?" Ash lowered his head back down slightly, Brock was standing to the side of the make-shift arena and was looking seriously at the two trainers opposite Ash while waiting for them to answer him, "if you are not going to call out a command for your Pokémon then this match will be forfeit and you will lose."

It seemed to wake them out of their stupor, the two Trainers quickly came together and started whispering, Ash smiled to himself as he watched Brock roll his eyes and then he turned around to check on Dawn. She was still sitting on the ground quietly and holding Piplup, she was watching the match calmly but Ash could see the hard look in her eyes that revealed her anger at the situation.

Ash turned back to the other two Trainers who were just coming out of their huddle only to have the breeze pick up slightly and catch his hat from behind to lift it off his head. He caught it quickly but the damage was done, he could see the recognition in their eyes.

He cursed quietly to himself as one of the trainers pointed at him, "I know you – you're Ash Ketchum, the Four Region Champion!"

"Three," Ash said and placed his hat back firmly on his head.

"Huh?"

"It's three regions, not four." Ash finally raised his head to properly take a look at his opponents; they seemed to have forgotten about the match entirely and were now gazing at him with wonder.

The Trainer with the Furret slowly counted on his fingers, "It's definitely four, I remember! Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh -"

"Considering it's my title, I think I know what number it is," Ash interrupted firmly. "I've never won in Kanto. Ever."

The Trainer stood dumbly for a minute before waving off his claim with a laugh, "that's just a technicality! There is no Champion of Kanto and Lance is the highest ranked trainer there. You have already beaten him!"

Ash wondered what the Dragon Master in question would do if he found out these guys were talking about his defeat so casually, and using his first name like they were buddies.

Ash smirked to himself amused, Lance didn't have 'buddies.'

"I've been a fan of yours since you took on Steven Stone at the Ever Grande Conference, that battle was-"

"Thank you, however right now we should be more concerned with this battle," Ash interrupted quickly lest this became a small tale waxing lyrical about his battle prowess and directed his eyes down to the two Pokémon who were still waiting patiently.

"Oh right, well of course we forf-ah!"

Ash raised up his hands quickly, out of nowhere the dust from the road rose up and swirled around their campsite, "Pikachu?!" He yelled out to his Pokémon and was relieved to feel the familiar weight on his shoulder not soon after. Keeping one hand up to shield his eyes and one on his head to keep his hat on, he steadied himself against the onslaught. Ash could feel small twigs hit and poke at him and he was pretty sure he tasted leaves at one point through the abrupt wind outbreak.

The small outburst left almost as soon as it arrived and within a few seconds Ash found himself blinking and rubbing his eyes to be able to see properly. He quickly turned around to look for Brock and Dawn, Dawn had clutched Piplup tightly to her and remained on the ground, she was slowly uncovering herself as the squall stopped.

Brock was still standing and was trying to rid himself of the dust in his eyes; his Forrestress had taken refuge at Brock's feet so as not to get blown away. Satisfied that his friends and Pokémon were in no immediate danger, Ash turned back to the two trainers and stopped instantly.

There standing on a few feet away from him was a Dragonite and not just any Dragonite by the looks of it. As though feeling his stare, the Dragonite turned around and pinned on him a stern look; Ash inadvertently took a step back upon feeling the weight of such a gaze.

"Chu…" Pikachu let out a few warning sparks and was getting ready to attack at his command.

"It's alright buddy," Ash raised a comforting hand to the Pokémon on his shoulder, but he knew that Pikachu recognized the Dragonite as he did. It was Lance's, or more aptly, the Pokémon he had the hardest time beating during the Johto Conference.

This Dragonite did not like losing and had more than adequately displayed that time and time again during his final battle with Lance all those years ago. It had been his Charizard against Lance's Dragonite and never had there been two more stubborn Pokémon. The amount of times people in the crowd had stood up in their seats to see which Pokémon had fallen to the other had been numerous.

More often than not Ash had believed it to be over, seeing his Charizard stand time and time again had astounded him, after being hit with not only very strong Hyper Beams and Body Slams, Lance had also of course taught his Dragonite one of the strongest moves he had ever seen – Draco Meteor.

After that move Ash had expected to have seen his Charizard in a coma for months on end. However, slowly out of the dust he had seen his Charizard standing - albeit slightly shakily. Ash had relished the look on Lance and his Dragonite's face then, it had been one of complete and utter astonishment and the respect that had followed was something he cherished far more than his title.

Although, while he still had the respect, this Dragonite still didn't like him and had always made it very clear much to his and Lance's amusement.

Not wanting to break eye-contact with the slightly temperamental Dragonite, Ash noticed from his peripheral vision the two trainers he had been battling before; they looked like they had had the wind knocked out of them. The poor Furret had fainted, no doubt on its last legs and unable to handle a Dragonite using it's supersonic speed.

"Is that…?" Brock asked bewildered as he made his way over to Ash who nodded his affirmation.

"Yeah, that's Lance's Dragonite."

"What's it doing all the way out here?" Dawn asked from Ash's other side.

With an impatient snort and with movements so quick they could barely be followed by the group, Ash suddenly found himself looking directly at a deep purple envelope.

Blinking away his confusion, Ash looked over the presented envelope to stare at Dragonite. The Pokémon wasn't looking at him and in fact, looked less than thrilled to be giving him the letter. The look on Dragonite's face was extremely disgruntled, Ash wondered if it was because what was in the letter, or if because it was just him in general.

Not wanting to rile the Pokémon any further, Ash took the proffered letter and turned it over to have a look at it. There was nothing really outstanding about it, other than the fact it was a deep purple and it had a seal that Ash immediately recognized.

He flung his head up and found, to his surprise, Dragonite staring straight at him. This time, the annoyance was replaced by a serious look. The Pokémon looked at him and then looked down at the letter in his hands, she repeated this action a few times until Ash realized what it was the Pokémon was trying to convey.

The letter was extremely important and he needed to read it, hastily Ash flicked his thumb under the envelope flap to break the seal. He pulled out the thick, off-white card and read its contents.

"Ash?" Brock asked slightly alarmed, he watched the colour drain from his friends face as he read the note he had been given.

Robotically, Ash passed the letter to Brock who quickly swiped it out of his hands to read it. He held it so Dawn could read over his shoulder, his eyes flew rapidly over the cursive as he took in all the note had to say.

"What's a Summit?" Dawn finally asked into the silence, she looked up at Brock who was looking at Ash; she turned her attention to Ash who was looking pensive.

Not sensing a forthcoming response from Ash, Dawn turned back to Brock. "Hello?" She waved a hand in front of his face, "seriously, what's a Summit?"

"It's..." Brock seemed to falter with his words which made Dawn bite her lip; it was always worrying when Brock wasn't able to explain something.

"It's a meeting for those of high rank who deal with anything to do with Pokémon," Dawn turned back to Ash, surprised that he had answered her. "The Elite Four – in this case the Kanto Elite Four host it and Gym leaders, Trainers, Professors, Breeders...everyone considered to be of high rank are asked to come."

"So…it's like a party?" Dawn ventured hopefully, although with the look on their faces she knew her hope was misplaced.

Ash snorted and Brock let out a shaky laugh and picked up where Ash left off. "Not exactly, there's a reason you haven't heard of a Summit before Dawn, they are extremely rare. In fact," he passed her the envelope and card which she read out loud.

"…Summon Master Ketchum and Company to the Indigo Plateau for the 3rd Pokémon Summit. So there have only been two?"

Brock nodded, "yes, only two and that has been counted since the Elite Four's inception."

Dawn's mouth dropped open, "but that's been-!"

"Centuries," Brock finished for her and rubbed his eyes tiredly, he turned to look at Ash who was absently scratching Pikachu's back, "are you going to go?"

"Of course he's going!" Dawn argued back, "you said it's for people of high rank, you don't get much higher than Ash when it comes to Pokémon!"

"It's a bit more serious than that Dawn," Brock replied patiently, Dawn crossed her arms and looked at him expectantly.

He let out a sigh, "I told you that Summit's were rare," Dawn nodded to show she was listening, "there is only one reason why a Summit is held," Dawn found she didn't like the Brock's tone and was dreading the rest of the answer. "It's held when the Elite Four have no other option and when they have no other option, then whatever is happening is extremely serious, potentially fatal."

Dawn didn't quite understand, "if it's so bad, then why would they want to put other people at risk? Surely they must know that people won't come if it's meant to be that bad?"

"It's not that they want to Dawn," Brock threw a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"It's that they have to." Ash finished quietly, the group stood their silently for a few moments before Ash held out his hand, Dawn reached out and gave the letter back to him. He perused it for a few moments before turned back to Lance's Dragonite.

She had been waiting there patiently for his answer, the fact she hadn't immediately left after giving him the letter meant that Lance was depending on an answer, he needed a yes or no before Ash even arrived back onto Kanto soil.

It meant Lance had a plan, one that Ash was part of and if Ash said no then the plan would need to be changed. The fact that a plan was already in motion was startling and spoke volumes about what was possibly happened out there that the group weren't currently aware of.

"Tell your Master that Ash Ketchum has received his summoning and will arrive within two weeks, he is currently unaware of how many he is bringing with him-"

"One," Brock spoke up, Ash turned back and caught his old friends eye and nodded gently.

Not to be outdone, Dawn piped up as well. "Two! He's bringing two with him."

Ash nodded at Dawn and turned back to Dragonite, "I will be arriving in two weeks and bringing two guests with me, a highly capable and knowledgeable Pokémon Breeder and a very competent Coordinator."

Dawn blushed and grinned at Ash's praise while Brock just rolled his eyes and smiled, they both watched as Ash put the letter back into the envelope and tuck it away into his jacket.

Satisfied with the answer she received, the Dragonite nodded back at Ash and turned her back on him. Ash stepped back as the Dragonite immediately shot up and flew off, within a few seconds it was like she had never been here.

The whole group was silent for a few moments; thinking about the implications of what had just happened, Ash noticed that the trainers from before had disappeared along with the Furret. Ash didn't blame them, although he was worried about how much they may have heard.

Summit's were normally kept very quiet lest panic set in over the general public. Ash knew there was one person he would have to inform and he really was not looking forward to it.

Ash turned back to Brock and Dawn his face was grim, but determined.

"So, what's the quickest way back to Kanto?"

* * *

End.

Introduction to Ash and crew, a little bit older maybe wiser, - we'll see. =)

Any questions, comments or concerns? Please review.

I hoped you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

* * *

It was a full week before anyone started arriving. It was a welcome relief as most of these were trainers and were more than willing to help with the set-up of the accommodation within the Indigo Plateau.

The Indigo Plateau was essentially a stronghold; it was built upon a high area overlooking Victory Road with Mt Silver looming over it. There were six floors and the same amount below ground, each floor had four wings unoriginally named North, South, East and West.

The entrance level (the first level above ground) held not only the impressive entrance hall but also held a large kitchen and dining area, the five levels above that held all the bedrooms and communal areas and all of which was decked out in what could be considered ridiculous splendor.

Below ground held practice areas, mostly for battle training. There were also more bedrooms, meeting rooms and although there was no proof, many rumored that there were dungeons even further down. None of these had been used in years; none of the Elite Four lived in the Indigo Plateau despite being allowed as a privilege.

The Plateau was made out of a terracotta coloured stone, it was kept meticulously clean all throughout the year with no grime or dirt marring the warm colour. Many people commented on the colour of the building upon first seeing it – expecting it to be the colour it was named for.

The 'Indigo' came from a flower native only to the Kanto region, one of the first members of the Elite Four had a wife and in those days there was not a choice whether or not you could live in the Plateau. As a member of the Elite Four you had to live in the Plateau, members of one's family had not been allowed entrance.

He had not seen his wife again, she had died before he had ever lost to an opponent and he had only found out upon his way back to her. He had been the original Kanto Champion, and as such the rule that had once stood became obsolete. Many of the Elite Four, after this incident, refused to live in the Plateau and there had never been another official Kanto Champion.

As a 'thank you' for disposing of the archaic rule, the former Champion had planted his wife's favorite flower – a purple or 'indigo,' as the flower was officially called, Anemone.

The flower had flourished around the area of the Plateau and thus the name 'Indigo Plateau' became recognized. A plaque had been laid upon the first Champion's death – a small token for all that he had sacrificed. It was displayed a few meters outside the front gate as a memorial.

Agatha stood outside this memorial and watched as more trainers walked up past the gate, many had made the trek from a side entrance that was usually closed to them and only open to the general public and spectators that came for any competition and the Indigo Conference.

Many who knew about this trek had complained that it was never open for those that had already been through Victory Road. Many trainers that had already challenged the Kanto league wanted a free pass every time a Conference came around – they argued that they had not only already beaten the Gym Leaders but Victory Road as well, apparently proved once – it meant that it was proved forever.

It was a rule that had never been changed and Agatha hoped it would stay that way. Victory Road separated trainers; it separated those that thought they deserved a chance from those that wanted the chance.

The fatality rate in Victory Road had lowered over the years, there were the occasional murmurs and many condemned the long trek claiming that it was too long, hard and dangerous- especially for the younger trainers. However, the Elite Four, the Gym Leaders and some trainers had fought to keep it and thus it had stayed.

With what was happening in Victory Road at the present, Agatha wondered if it would be the last straw should any bleeding heart parent or lazy trainer find out.

She watched two trainers fly in on a large Fearow and handed their summons over to the guard at the gate. Many of the trainers coming in she recognized, the trainers were those that had made it to the finals and then went on to battle the Elite Four. There were a few notable exceptions, those trainers that had shown courage and mettle in extreme circumstances, or who had impressed any member of the Elite Four at any point in time for any reason.

The Pokémon Professors would be arriving shortly – it was why Agatha was waiting out by the gates. It would take a little while for the Gym Leaders to arrive as they had to shut down their gyms and make arrangements for any Pokémon they had to be taken care of properly in their absence.

Gym Leaders and members of the other regions Elite Four would be arriving probably toward the end of the third and fourth week as they had further to travel.

Agatha felt her lip curl; she hated the idea of other members of the Elite coming into what was essentially her home. She may not have ever lived in the Indigo Plateau, however she spent so much of her time there she thought of it as her second home. Kanto was her region and whenever other members of the Elite invaded her territory she became extremely protective.

Many of the other regions were considered 'tougher,' with its Gym Leaders and Elite Four harder to defeat, Agatha didn't really mind when it came to Johto – they had started up their conference not soon after Kanto and had copied the basic format and according to history books she had read voraciously as a young girl, the original members of the Johto Elite had fully admitted this upon their commencement and had also thanked the Kanto region for their support.

Hoenn and Sinnoh both claimed to be among the first when it came to conferences and any type of competition, apparently having legendary Pokémon that embodied space and time gave Sinnoh the 'edge.' Agatha snorted to herself; she doubted that anyone in Sinnoh had ever seen such Pokémon.

"Agatha!" The old woman started and then frowned, other than the Elite Four who were all Masters in their own right; there was one other person who would only call her by her given name.

"Oak," Agatha turned around, she knew her face and tone were displeased, but deep down she had never been happier to her old friend in all her life.

He was at the front of the pack, no doubt leading the way and was waving out to her brightly. Next to him was Professor Rowan looking as he always did – stern, tall and proud. Behind the two leaders came Birch and Ivy – the former looking like he had just sprint a marathon but was still talking a mile a minute to the uninterested looking female beside him.

She narrowed her eyes to try to see clearer as the group made their way closer to her, she couldn't see Cedric Juniper and his daughter – two prominent professors of the Sinnoh region who she did see however, made her scowl.

"Agatha, good to see you – you're looking well." Oak smiled brightly as he stopped right in front of her and she glared at him. The buffoon was acting like they were all there for a social visit – a trekking expedition rather than one of the most important events possibly of their age.

Agatha didn't bother to respond, she nodded sagely to each of the other professors who were all so much more proper in their greetings to her, she then cut to the chase. "What are they doing here?" She asked bluntly staring at Gary Oak and Tracey Sketchit – both of whom were surprised by her directness.

Agatha had been the one to invite the Professors, she knew each of the individually and having spent a lot of time with Professor Oak – possibly the most well known of all them – she had been responsible for making sure they were all kept in the loop regarding current events. Her summons did not include inviting researchers, junior ones at that.

To her irritation, Oak let out a laugh " well-"

"The summons are for those regarded as Professors, not researchers who are only known because of their familial association with you." Agatha cut him off and noticed Oak's grandson scowl at her non—subtle mention of nepotism.

There was an awkward tension in the air, Oak coughed lightly and Agatha remained firm while waiting for an answer. "Master Agatha, regardless of whether or not Researcher Oak happens to be a member of Professor Oak's family, you cannot deny him entry – he has been invited."

Professors Ivy's drone cut through the tension and Agatha raised an eyebrow, "invited?" She parroted before snorting, "one does not get 'invited' to a Summit, they are summoned. It is not a privilege to be here in this instance; this is not play-time for children."

She saw Oak's Grandson cheeks turn a light shade of pink and he opened his mouth to say some back at her- no doubt an argument in his defense, but the other researcher stopped him with a hand out.

Agatha turned back to look at Oak who was looking exasperated by her and she held in a smile, "where are the Professors Juniper?" Agatha asked to the group at large, while she didn't care very much in general for the group before her – she and Oak had a history and she was disappointed by the path he took, Rowan she respected, Birch she found amusing and exasperating and Ivy she just found irritating – Agatha had a fondness for the father-daughter team.

"Master Agatha, we understand that this is not a social event and we have explained this to the two here," Professor Rowan spoke in his booming and serious tone, "what Professor Ivy has said is true – they have been invited."

Agatha narrowed her eyes again, "by whom?" She asked imperiously and a little surprised. It definitely would not have been Lance, his summons were few and as far as she knew, while Oak's grandson had done marginally well in the Kanto and Johto tournaments, he hadn't showed much in the way of dynamic battling for Lorelei and Bruno to have taken any notice, and his research was currently nothing ground-breaking. Although, she gave him credit for tackling a hard subject, Legendary Pokémon were not to be taken lightly.

As for the other researcher, she was quite sure she had never seen him battle in her life. Normally if someone had impressed any one member of the Elite Four they would have mentioned it in their monthly meetings somewhere along the way. Agatha was good with names and faces – he was someone she did not remember.

There was shuffling sound as Oak's grandson rummaged around briefly in his backpack and eventually withdrew a crinkled envelope; he gently shouldered his way to the front where his grandfather clasped a hand on his shoulder , Oak the Younger held out the letter to her.

Agatha stared at the envelope; it was basic, white and with postage on it from what looked like Sinnoh. It wasn't a summoning from them, so Agatha immediately ruled out the rest of the Kanto Elite Four, it was possible that one of the Elite Four from Sinnoh had summoned them, yet the letter looked far to plain for it to be so.

The young man was staring at her, almost daring her not to take the letter. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and took it from his hand, she was curious as to who would invite these two to such an event. She could feel all eyes on her as she read the letter and she tried to not let her surprise show.

The letter had been written by the Champion of Sinnoh, Hoenn and Johto – Master Ash Ketchum. Agatha knew that he was under Lance's summoning and as far as she knew the Champion hadn't answered yet. It was assumed he would not be showing up as most of the replies had come in within the first four days after they had been sent out.

Agatha suddenly raised her eyes to look at the two young researchers; one Ash had travelled with in his youth – during the Orange Islands if her memory didn't escape her, Ash's first taste of victory also for a Conference - no matter how small it was. The other, Oak's grandson, had been Ash's friend since childhood.

As a Champion, Ash was well within his rights to summon – or in this case 'invite' whomever he deemed worthy to join in the Summit. However, he was also meant to inform whoever summoned him that it was his intention to do so. Agatha knew that Lance had been the one to summon Ash – the two were in regular contact and had become good friends since Ash had defeated him during the Silver Conference.

What worried Agatha was that Lance had not informed her – nor as far as she knew – anyone else about Ash's imminent arrival or who else he may have invited. Ash knew a lot of people and had been to a lot of different places, who he may have invited could have a very negative outcome for the Summit. There were those that were never invited due to their turbulent natures and any potentially dangerous ideas, Giovanni – the old leader of the Viridian City Gym was one such example despite his strength as an old Gym Leader.

While Agatha didn't believe that Ash would intentionally invite someone like the aforementioned, it was disquieting to find that Lance had hidden something like this from everyone.

It meant that Lance and Ash had a plan, one she was not privy to at the present. Lance and Ash were two of the most powerful trainers throughout most of the Pokémon regions. For the longest time Agatha had wondered whether or not Lance would ever be defeated – Cynthia had done it once, but even she admitted it had been luck at the time – plus immense stupidity on Lance's part.

Agatha had a special place in her heart for Lance; he had become the Champion at such a young age and had also come from such an influential background. She had taken him under her wing once he had become Champion and slowly had hammered out his arrogance and impulsive behavior. He was a natural with Pokémon and always seeking the best for them, even at the cost of himself.

Lance had found a kindred spirit with Ash and although she would never say it aloud, Agatha was glad Lance had lost to Ash, it was what he needed.

Ash did not have the obsessive nature that Lance had, Ash was just stubborn and that was what propelled him forward, that and his belief in his Pokémon. Agatha respected Ash immensely, his love for all Pokémon, not just his own, was vast and it showed not only in his eclectic and exciting battle-style, but also in how Pokémon responded to him.

Ash had not yet been defeated since he had won at the Silver Conference all those years ago, and he had fast become legend. Upon his third victory in one of the major Conferences, Agatha remembered it well - It had been a magnificent battle with Ash's Snorlax knocking out Steven's Armaldo to secure the win at the Evergrande Conference; Ash had retreated from the public face, refusing to become the titular Champion of any of the regions that had offered the post to him.

When Ash had refused the post of Johto Champion Agatha had understood, he had wanted to test his mettle against the other regions and to do that – he couldn't be confined to the responsibility the Champion had, Lance found it hard enough – it had been out of necessity due to Lance's continuous wanderings, that the video chat and screens had been put into the meeting rooms so that he could join in and be involved when needed. Lance had always made the effort to compromise, whenever a meeting was to be held he would always be in contact for that time and had never missed one meeting regardless of where he was.

After his second and third major conference victories, Agatha had been surprised to find that Ash still refused the post of Champion for any of the regions. Many voiced their displeasure, but Ash had not ever given a specific reason. He had retreated and gone into hiding, many had gone on their own journey's to find and challenge him, there had been many rumors of where he was, whispers of a trainer battling here and there. Nothing had ever been confirmed.

Ash was now in his early twenties and still he hadn't challenged Kanto again, Agatha suspected that Lance knew the reason why but she didn't bother asking –as much as she would like the privilege of battling Ash, there had to be a reason why he wouldn't want to be recognized as the unofficial 'Champion' of his own region. Agatha was pretty sure that Ash would win, or at least come close should he ever decide to enter and make it an even four.

Breaking away from the troubling letter, Agatha thrust the paper back at the young man in front of her, maybe the reason Lance hadn't told her that Ash was arriving was because the young Champion had wanted to keep it a secret to avoid something or someone in particular, or she supposed with Ash's popularity, avoiding anyone that was too eager to draw him into a fruitless battle.

While she could hope, Agatha knew that this probably wasn't the case – the two were planning something and Lance didn't want her to find out, probably until it the idea was announced during the Summit.

Cursing Lance for making her look like an idiot, Agatha nodded stiffly back at the Professors and then commanded them to follow her.

* * *

"Could these stairs be any steeper?" Dawn asked and then let out a loud sigh as she trudged up one more step.

Brock was behind her and had been quietly amused ever since they had reached the 115th step; it was where Dawn had decided to stop counting when she still couldn't see the top of the staircase.

Ash stopped briefly at her outburst and turned back around, he was in front of her and up by a few steps. He was leading the way, seeming to know this place like the back of his hand and he didn't look tired at all. Pikachu dropped down from his master's shoulder and gently darted his way over to her. The electric Pokémon gave her a cute smile and a few "Pika's!" of encouragement before darting back up the stairs and out of site.

"If only we could all be so agile," Dawn muttered drily as she made her way up the steps, she stopped just behind Ash who was smiling at her cynicism and he handed her his drink bottle. She thanked him and took the bottle out of his hands; she took a large gulp and offered the bottle to Brock who shook his head.

Ash was leaning against the rock face on one side of the stairs looking out over Victory Road and Brock was sitting on top of a large rock that was imbedded in the steep climb they were currently tackling. The stairs, while not the easiest to climb, were the quickest way to get to the Indigo Plateau from the Johto Region. The other stairs, the easier ones that Dawn assumed everyone else would be climbing, were on the other side of the Indigo Plateau accessible from Viridian City.

Because they had come from the other direction and they were running out of time to make it to the Summit, the group had made the decision to tackle the difficult and crudely nature-made steps on the other side of Mt Silver. It would have taken them another week to make it round to the other side and because Victory Road had been closed, they couldn't cut through the center either. By that time the doors to the Indigo Plateau would be closed and they would not be allowed to enter for the Summit.

Dawn plopped herself down on the stairs and wiggled around, trying to get comfortable on the wonky steps, "Seriously, guys – how far away is it now? We must have climbed like…a thousand steps!"

Brock and Ash laughed and she smiled, she knew she was exaggerating but they hadn't rested once since Ash had received his summons. They had stopped briefly for lunch in Canalave City so that Ash could send out a letter, but from there they caught the quickest ferry they could – it had taken them directly to Olivine where they had then travelled non-stop through Johto keeping a brisk pace.

It had been Dawn's first time in Johto and both the boys had apologized for not being able to show her the sights, she had wished she could have taken more photos but once they had arrived in Olivine after their week-long, journey aboard the Ferry from Canalave they had immediately set off for Blackthorn City. While it had been a week-long aboard the Ferry, they hadn't really rested it had been a rocky journey and all of them had trouble sleeping with the weather being as bad as it was. Twice they had been woken up in the middle of the night for life-jacket calls, all of which had ended in false alarms.

Ash had received Lance's summons just about week after it had been sent – it had taken them the rest of that week to get to Canalave City. From there, the third week of their journey had been taken up by their Ferry ride; they were now well into the fourth and final week of their time limit and they were all feeling it. Getting to Blackthorn had been grueling, while they had been able to go around Mt Mortar rather than through it, finally getting to Mahogany town and then finding there was no choice but to go through Ice Path to get to Blackthorn, Dawn had almost cried.

"Not too far now Dawn," Brock said cheerfully, "about, what – another 1000 steps Ash?" Dawn chucked the drink bottle at Brock in retaliation and Ash chuckled to himself at their banter.

Ash pointed a bit further up, "see those flowers Dawn?"

She let out a suffering sigh and turned her body around to look up to where Ash was pointing, she squinted her eyes a little, but eventually she saw what he was looking at – a small cluster of purple flowers, they were the only vegetation she could see – apart from the random scattering of trees, so they stuck out like a sore thumb now that she knew they were there.

"Yeah, the purple ones?"

Ash nodded and smiled, "It's the 100 step mark. The flower is the Indigo Anemone, it grows really well near the Indigo Plateau and when you see this flower it means that you're close. It's traditionally called the '100 steps mark – but I think there are a few more than-"

Ash broke off when Dawn let out a whoop of excitement, she quickly picked up her pack and starting marching up the stairs, "we're almost there! C'mon guys!"

Ash and Brock shared an amused laugh at Dawn's renewed enthusiasm; it carried her right up past the purple flower where Pikachu had been rolling around in the grass waiting for them.

"Let's go Pikachu!" Dawn commanded as she marched right up past him, the mouse Pokémon let out a "Pika!" and raced up past her heels to beat her to the top.

"Dawn! Wait up!" Brock couldn't help let out a laugh as she continued pressing on – many times she slipped going up but it didn't deter her much. Her motivation to get to the top and perhaps finally get a sleep-in was strong.

Ash watched as Brock caught up to Dawn and matched her pace, sometimes catching her when she slipped and keeping an eye on her. He kept a slower pace and took his time, they were going to make it – their hard push at the beginning had made it so and Ash figured he could take his time with the home stretch.

Part of him savored the journey, he hadn't been to Kanto in a while and he didn't realize how much he missed it. He would come and visit his mother sure, but the furthest he would ever travel would be from Pallet to Pewter mostly to pick up Brock if his friend was so inclined to join him (and he usually was) and then the two would fly to Vermillion to catch a ferry to start their next adventure.

They would have flown to the Indigo Plateau if they could, but none of them had a Pokémon that could transport them that way, when they had got to Canalave City Professor Oak had not been in the lab and he left for the Indigo Plateau during their ferry ride as they had found when they had tried to contact him in Olivine. Charizard was back in Charicific Valley and wouldn't have been able to make it in time, so Ash hadn't tried to contact his old friend.

"Wow!" Ash broke away from his thoughts and looked up to see Dawn standing at the top of the stairs smiling brightly. She turned around and smiled at him "c'mon you Slowpoke! I can hear a mattress calling my name!"

Ash grinned and trudged up the last few steps, Pikachu bounded onto his shoulder and nuzzled at the hair that poked out of his cap. He reached out a hand to gently scratch his Pokémon's back as he made it to the top.

"It's so pretty!" Dawn exclaimed as she stared out at the view before her, in front of them lay a thin dirt path and surrounding that was a lush green field that was filled with the purple flower. Looming in the distance was the Indigo Plateau, the large gates open for all those to enter.

"Pikachu, could you let Lance know we have arrived?" Ash murmured quietly to his Pokémon as they set off single file down the path, Dawn leading the way and craning her head this way and that to take everything in. Pikachu quickly darted off into the grass at his master's command; Ash watched his yellow back scurry through the long grass and head towards the gate.

The place hadn't change a bit since Ash had been here over a decade ago, he remembered the first time he had seen this place and it had been like an oasis – especially after coming out of Victory Road. Ash turned his head slightly, behind them was Victory Road and the entrance to it had been closed off, covered by large slabs of stone.

The summons he had received from Lance had told him not to venture through there as it had been closed off. It wasn't strange that the path was closed – because of the danger; the path was normally only open when the Indigo Conference came around, or opened for special cases such as when trainers like him wanted to train in there for a time.

What made Ash suspicious was that it was Pokémon Summit they were all convening for, in such extreme circumstances normally every avenue for access would be open, regardless of the potential danger and besides – most trainers that would be arriving would have been able to handle, or should have been able to handle Victory Road in their sleep.

Keeping his thoughts to himself for the moment, Ash turned his head back to Brock who had spoken his name; Brock pointed and Ash followed it towards the gates and he saw flaming red hair clashing with yellow. He grinned and picked up his pace to get in front of Dawn.

Lance was smiling outside the gates and petting Pikachu gently, when Ash stopped moving Pikachu removed himself from the Dragon Master's shoulder and made his way to Ash's. "Long time no see," Lance spoke, Ash noted that his friend looked tired and nodded; Lance held out his hand and let out a sigh, "thank you for coming."

There was a resonance in Lance's voice that made Ash pause for a second before he accepted the handshake .He felt the note through his thinly gloved hand and squeezed Lance's hand to let him know the message had been received. He had known it was serious before he had arrived, however he hadn't expected Lance to have an almost overwhelmed look about him.

"Any chance for a bed?" Dawn interrupted, "we've been travelling for like, ever! We need our beauty rest, especially these two." She jerked her thumb to Brock and Ash and Lance laughed a bit before withdrawing his hand from Ash who quickly drew his hand into a fist to crush the note he had received.

"Of course, this way" Lance motioned with hands and led the exhausted group through the gates. Dawn was chattering a mile a minute to Lance, asking what he had been doing since the last time they had met. Ash grinned, Lance was not the type for small talk and it was amusing to watch him struggle with Dawn's exuberance and endless questions.

"I saw it you know," Ash felt his grin slip and he looked at Brock.

"The note," Brock didn't elaborate any further and he didn't need to. Ash had let Brock in on all that he knew from Lance, it wasn't something he was about to keep secret from Brock, especially when Brock had such an analytical mind, the two had stayed well up into the night on their journey here discussing possible ideas and theories.

The two were not sure how much Brock was allowed to know at this point, thus Brock had informed him that in seeing the note it wasn't that he needed to know what was in it, just that he knew of its existence and he would understand if Ash needed to keep it a secret from him.

"Although, it's quite strange – have you noticed?" Brock gestured behind him, his tone was worried and it made Ash stop and turn around.

Ash looked out past the gates to the green and purple field and it was only then that he noticed. On a bright sunny day, in a beautiful, blossoming field and with nothing to mar such an idyllic looking area, something was wrong. Ash clenched his fist tighter – the one that held the note and he felt dread rise up like a lump in his throat.

In a place where you would expect wild Butterfree and Beedrill to roam free, where Pidgey would fly free through the clouds and Oddish would rest calmly in the grass, there was nothing out of ordinary and yet there were no Pokémon.

* * *

**End chapter.**

Okay this should be the last of the "set-up" chapters, of course there is still more to the mystery and of course the Summit has to take place (dreading that chapter to be honest.)

Next chapter should be the first glimpse inside the Indigo Plateau plus, we finally have everyone in one place – plus we meet some old friends.

And just in case anyone is interested in this sort of thing – I have a photobucket account that will host pictures that relate to this story, such as the flower you just read about and my idea (sort of) regarding the Indigo Plateau. It's under the same user name Redenzione and it's all public, so go ahead and have a look if you like.

Hope you enjoyed this and please let me know what you think.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

* * *

Walking into the Indigo Plateau was a strange experience, Ash hadn't been there since his defeat over ten years ago and he couldn't help the smile that came over him, although arguably not a 'happy' memory, it was part of his beginnings as a trainer and his journey since then had been amazing.

There were many people walking around, some stopped briefly and pointed to them or Ash in particular. Ash didn't bother to pull his hat down further to cover his face, sooner or later everyone would know he was here. Their group stopped in the middle of the entrance hall and Ash looked up to see many people leaning on the railings.

"This place is gorgeous!" Dawn exclaimed as she looked around, the walls were a bright white with a gold trim around the top. The floors were hardwood and shiny – polished till they looked new. The grand staircase had a deep purple carpet up the middle and the wooden hand rail was the same deep brown as the floor.

Pokémon paraphernalia and artifacts lined the walls in glass cases and painted portraits of previous and current Kanto Elite Four members hung on the walls framed in opulent gold, Ash gestured to one "Where's yours?" He asked Lance and grinned when he got nothing but a sneer in return.

"Same place yours is," Lance shot back, "Your bedrooms will be on the fifth floor, Ash – you and Brock will be sharing if you don't mind?"

"It's alright Lance, I still have my ear plugs!"Brock interjected smoothly and Lance laughed along with him as Ash scoffed and pushed Brock gently so that he stumbled slightly sideways.

"Dawn, you currently have a room to yourself and it's also on the fifth floor – however, you may have to share eventually."

Dawn nodded with an easy smile, "no problem! I'm just happy to have a mattress, let alone sheets and a pillow! I need to see this – I don't think I even remember what they look like!" She said this all very fast and then hurried off to the stairs and Lance shouted out to her, "you're in the North Wing! Room 505!"

Dawn waved back down to them as she rounded the corner and continued running up the stairs and out of sight. Lance just stared in amazement, "is she always like that?"

Brock and Ash nodded, "It's been a hard journey, we were the last on the Ferry and we had to beg and plead to get on. In fact – if Ash hadn't been, well, Ash! Then we probably wouldn't have been able to get on. We had a room to ourselves but it was just four walls and a door, when she said she hasn't had a mattress in a while – she's not exaggerating!" Brock elaborated on their journey slightly to explain Dawn's eager behavior to see creature comforts.

Lance nodded, "Thank you, I appreciate how far you all had to come and what you sacrificed to be able to get here on time. Although, Dawn could have waited to let me explain that we have elevators." He gestured to the lifts at the left side of the stairwell and Ash and Brock chuckled, "we'll let her know." Brock said.

"Brock!" The three guys looked up and saw Forrest, Brocks younger brother and Pewter City's Gym Leader leaning over the second floor railing waving hard and smiling brightly. Brock's smiled just as widely and waved back, he turned to Lance who just waved off his apologies, "go! He's been waiting for you."

Brock nodded and took the stairs two at a time, his brother met him half-way and they shared a massive hug of hello. They were both around the same height now, but Forrest was wider in the shoulders, no doubt from all his time training with his rock Pokémon.

Ash watched the two brothers for a moment and felt a slight twinge of guilt for keeping them apart. He knew that Brock wanted to go with him – he wouldn't have travelled with Ash if he didn't want to, but Ash knew that Brock still missed his family, the two had talked about it last time they had left Pewter City, when Ash had picked him up to head to Sinnoh again.

Brock had reassured him that he wanted to go, he had never wanted to be a Gym Leader, battling was fun for him but unlike Lance and Ash, he was more interested in taking care of Pokémon. Brock had argued to Ash that he had time to settle down and stay in one place to study and set up a practice, but for now he was enjoying learning about and seeing different types of Pokémon and ways to care for them, Brock had said he was gaining valuable information while travelling with Ash and he wouldn't have it any other way.

Ash had let the subject go then, he knew Brock had had a hard time the last time he had left Ash – Ash had travelled through the Orange Islands and Brock had decided to stay and work under Professor Ivy. It hadn't ended well and for some time Ash had suspected it was the reason why Brock still didn't want to settle down anywhere, he no longer became emotional at the mention of her name, but whatever had happened obviously hurt him deeply.

Ash still didn't know the whole story and he stopped asking, it wasn't his business to know and if and when Brock wanted to tell him, he would do so.

"Ash!" He turned at the sound of his name and grinned, barreling toward him was Tracey Sketchit. Ash braced himself for a hug and even staggered back two steps at the force of it, almost knocking into Lance. Pikachu had taken refuge on Lance's shoulder for the moment and Tracey quickly withdrew himself, "been a long time Ash, how're you going? Pikachu!"

Ash fixed up his hat while Pikachu and Tracey caught up, Pikachu gently shocked Tracey's fingertips in greeting, "Pika-chu!"

"I'm doing good, just got in actually-"

"Always last, looks like something's will never change." interrupted a familiar drawling voice. Ash let out a low laugh and looked over Tracey's shoulder, Gary Oak stood behind Tracey with his arms crossed and a cheeky grin on his face.

"Better late than never Oak, glad to see you both got my letter – sorry about the short notice."

Gary opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by Tracey, "Not a problem Ash! Happy to help, so I hear you've been in Sinnoh recently – got any pictures to show me? What's the environment like? I hear that Sinnoh has hardly any water routes? "

Ash held in a smile while trying to answer Tracey's questions while Gary rolled his eyes amicably.

"Gary, there you are – Professor Birch and I were just-oh!"

Ash stopped briefly while explaining to Tracey that Brock had all the photos and would be more than happy to show him later on, as Professor Oak came up behind his grandson with Professor Birch in tow.

There was a tense silence for a few moments, "Hello Ash, good to see you, you're looking well." Professor Oak spoke politely to him, a strained smiled crossed his features that everyone noticed.

Ash nodded, "thanks." He spoke shortly and there was no smile on his face, he turned back to Tracey and kept talking like he couldn't see the bewildered looks from Tracey, Professor Birch and Gary.

Professor Oak took this in stride, and clapped his hands trying to rid the area of the tension that had arisen. "Gary, Professor Birch and I – with Lance's permission," He gestured politely to the man in question who nodded and stood away from the group while waiting patiently for Ash to finish with his greetings.

"We were planning on going out and having a look around the Plateau, I haven't been here in a while and Professor Birch has never been here at all – would you like to join us?"

Gary was still looking suspiciously between Ash and his Grandfather, "uh yeah, sure." He answered clumsily making Professor Oak clap his hands again, "wonderful, wonderful – go and get your boots on Gary – we'll meet you outside the gates in five minutes."

Ash diligently ignored Gary's focused look on him, but knew that eventually Gary would catch up to him and question him regarding that exchange. Eventually, Gary left the party and darted up the stairs, "Oh – wait, I wanted to ask Professor Birch something!" Tracey suddenly explained to no one in particular, he turned around to shout at Gary "I'm coming too Gary! Sorry Ash, we will catch up later?" Tracey ran backwards on his way to the stairs to see if Ash had heard him and Ash gave a wave of acknowledgement that he had.

He watched the two researchers disappear up the stairs and breathed in a deep sigh as finally, he could relax and not deal with a thousand questions he was really in no mood to answer. Pikachu had long fallen asleep while on Lance's shoulder and Ash figured he was close to doing the same. He turned to see Lance smiling knowingly at him, "I think I better show you your room before we meet anyone else."

Ash nodded tiredly, "I'd appreciate that." Lance led him over to the elevators that would take them up to the fifth floor, once they were in Lance leaned back against the elevator wall, "Still not talking to the Professor, huh?"

Ash knew that Professor Oak would be at the Summit, he was one of the highest ranked Pokémon Professors throughout any of the four regions, Ash would have been surprised if he wasn't here. However, it didn't mean that after what the Professor had pulled that Ash had to be polite to him for the sake of what company they were in.

They may have been brought together for a common good, and Ash would respect the Professors opinion and ideas as he always had, however Ash was not going to pretend to be happy with Professor Oak.

"Until he gives me a reason as to why he won't enter me into the Indigo League again, then I have nothing to say to him."

* * *

Ash hadn't woke until the next morning, the gong for breakfast had just sounded and he was comfortably curled up within his many blankets and Pikachu was curled up at his feet.

Ash turned over to see Brock sitting up on the side of his bed still slightly bleary eyed, "morning Brock," Ash said sleepily and slowly pulled himself up to rest against the headboard.

Ash could barely hear Brock's returned "morning" through his yawn, but he heard the knock on the door and Dawn's cheery voice on the other side "Morning sleepy-heads! Breakfast time!"

They both replied with a groaning sound and staggered their way out of their beds to get washed and changed for breakfast.

Dawn was talking a mile a minute on their way down the stairs to the breakfast room, filling them in on everything she had learnt since she had arrived here. They had found she had already been up for two hours and had had a chat with Cynthia, who had arrived a few days before and was staying on the floor above them. "She said she's looking forward to seeing you again Brock." Dawn wiggled her eyebrows teasingly while Brock blushed lightly and reached out to muss her hair gently.

They made it down to the entrance hall and followed the growing crowd to the dining area, Ash could feel his stomach rumble, he hadn't eaten dinner as he had been too tired and had fallen asleep the minute his head had hit the pillow, he hadn't even heard Brock come in later the evening before.

"Whoa, nice set-up," Ash said as they walked through the double doors and into the dining area, it was essentially a very elegant cafeteria. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling and long wooden tables were set up all through the open space with benches for seats accompanying the tables.

There was a second level where round tables and high-backed chairs were situated and Ash could see members of the Elite sitting around the tables with their trays. He could see a few of the Professors up there as well, he knew that intentionally that the place wouldn't be segregated due to rank and that anyone could sit wherever they wanted, but he supposed the respect that members of the Elite and the Professors carried was something he had never really paid attention to.

The kitchen was large and Ash was please to find a large buffet style, 'serve yourself' display in front of the kitchen, filled hot breakfast foods like eggs, bacon, grilled tomatoes, hash browns and mushrooms. To the side of the hot foods were canisters filled with porridge and large, bulk style containers filled with a range of cereals were adjacent to the hot foods display and Dawn immediately placed herself in that line, picking herself up a tray, bowl and spoon to patiently wait for her turn.

Ash quickly placed himself in the growing hot food line and grabbed a tray for himself and Brock who jumped in behind him, "any idea where you get the toast from?" Ash asked Brock while trying not to salivate over the smells wafting through the room. Brock looked around briefly and then pointed over to the cereal area, "there – next to the cereal, you can pick your toast and pop it in the toaster for however you like it. Or I suppose, let your Quilava heat it up for you," Brock said while everyone watched a Quilava heat up a couple of slices of toast for its trainer.

Ash laughed and placed his tray in front of him to grab a plate as he waited his turn for the eggs, he finally got to the end and was serving himself up a few sausages when he felt a hand on his shoulder, it was Lance carrying his own tray and gesturing with it to the stairs, "meet me up there," Ash nodded and went back to getting his food.

Once he had finished, he waited for Brock who waved him away "no, you go – I'm going to introduce Dawn to my brother." Dawn was already sitting at a table waiting for them and Forrest was a few places behind Brock in the line.

"Alright, I'll talk to you later," Ash said and gestured vaguely to Dawn who was looking slightly confused at what was happening. Ash kept going to the stairs as he figured Brock would explain it; he climbed to the top and looked around for Lance. The Dragon Master was sitting by himself on a stool – what Ash hadn't noticed as he walked in to the dining area was that the top floor had a breakfast bar that ran around the edge of the railing so that people could sit on a stool and look down on the dining room.

Ash took a seat next to Lance, "nice digs," Lance picked up a piece of bacon and smirked before tossing it in his mouth, "I try."

The two sat in silence while they ate, Ash knew that Lance was waiting till he was rested, fed and watered before he got down to it and for that Ash was extremely grateful, especially considering he knew how impatient his friend was.

Letting Pikachu finish of the rest of his bacon, Ash turned to Lance "so," he started in a quiet voice, pretending to people watch down below, "Lets lay down the facts, something is wrong – very wrong." Lance nodded, "not only is there a Summit happening for the first time in over a century, but you actually felt the need to send your _Dragonite _to me with a summons."

Ash paused and let that sink in, "I may have been in Sinnoh, but a Pidgeot would have got to me without any problems and I would have made the effort to get here regardless of the time-limit, but you knew that."

Ash kept looking down at the dining area, "what don't I know?" He asked seriously and for a few moments Lance didn't answer him.

"I don't have the pictures on me right now, Agatha has them in lock-down until the Summit takes place, she doesn't want panic setting in and unfortunately she knows me too well." Lance started with a disgruntled twist of a smile on his face, "but it's bad Ash."

Ash nodded to show that he was listening, "Pokémon are showing up being…I think insane is the best way to put it, Agatha likes to say 'mentally unstable' but it's more than that. They aren't eating, they aren't sleeping, they are hostile and while none have attacked humans or other Pokémon yet, it's really only a matter of time, and each one ends up like the last – dead."

Ash could feel a chill go down the back of his spine, "anything else?"

Lance nodded, "at first we thought it was confined to Victory Road, but we recently found an Arcanine with the same symptoms and Arcanine do not make their home in Victory Road."

"That's why the road was closed," Ash murmured to himself thoughtfully.

"It's spreading Ash, and we don't know what's causing it – there are these runes that they are carving into themselves-"

That got Ash's attention and he looked away from the people below to turn an incredulous look on Lance, "What?!"

Lance jerked his head in a nod, "I'll try and get the images tonight to show you – there are these ancient runes, no-one, not even the Professors have seen them before. The Pokémon are carving these symbols into their bodies with their teeth and claws, or anything sharp they can find."

Ash was now wishing that he didn't eat as much as he did, he could feel the scrambled egg come up his throat as he imagined what Lance was briefly describing. "Some of them even managed to carve them into their organs before-"

"I get it, Lance." Ash choked out and swallowed the bile back down into his throat. Lance broke off and then hesitated, "there's more?" Ash asked slightly aghast.

"The reason we called everyone here, we-" Lance looked around furtively but found that no-one was paying the two any notice, he turned back and looked at Ash when he spoke "we sent in some of our messengers to have a look to see if they could find anything related to the Pokémon deaths and these strange symbols," he heaved in a deep breath, "one came back about a month ago – all that was left was a torso and head, no arms, legs and no tongue."

"Only one?" Was all that Ash asked not willing to ask how many they had originally sent in and Lance nodded in the affirmative before pulling away and looking back down at the people below, unknowing of what was being shared only a few meters above them. "The runes were on the body as well, the same as on the Pokémon." Lance added almost like an afterthought, Ash nodded distractedly trying to process all that he had just been told.

"And nothing has worked? Nothing?" Ash asked twice as Lance shook his head and affirmed Ash's worst fears, "We have tried everything we know, we have asked the Professors from every region if they know of anything similar, and every Doctor and Nurse we have contacted has not been able to do anything either." Lance spoke in a harsh whisper and clenched his fists tighter over his tray, "nothing has worked and so – here were are."Lance unclenched his fists and relaxed the rest of his body that had slowly been tensing up throughout his explanation to Ash.

Ash took a long look at the Dragon Master, he looked bone-deep tired and there was a haunted look in his eyes, it was something Ash was not used to seeing and it unnerved him slightly. Lance was not one to feel despair or helplessness, even when he had lost to Ash, Lance had been celebratory and it had done nothing but helped forge a strong friendship between the two.

"Anything else?" Ash finally asked after he finished his analysis of his friend and Lance shook his head. "No, that's all the information we have – I swear it," Lance added the last part when he noticed that Ash was staring at the side of his head.

Ash let it go, Lance was in a hard position as he was tethered to the duty of the Elite Four and when things like this happened he was meant to be bound in secrecy until such time as any information was allowed to be released. Normally that would only happen if the Elite Four all agreed on giving out such information, and Lance knew as well as Ash did that Agatha would never agree to such a thing.

Lance telling Ash all of this could be grounds for suspension, even termination of his place in the Elite Four and Ash appreciated the risk Lance was taking. However, he was also slightly wary because Lance had sent him his summons with the express intent of needing to know if he was going to show up or not and from what he had just found out, the danger rate was extremely high and Lance knew that Ash had experienced more than his fair share of danger before.

"What do you want from me Lance?" Ash asked tiredly, already guessing the answer.

To his credit, Lance looked apologetic despite also being extremely determined. He opened his mouth but a terse voice from behind him made him falter.

"Ash Ketchum, it would have been nice to know that you were coming to this Summit."

Ash raised his head; behind a slightly cringing Lance was Agatha, a member of the Kanto Elite Four that had taken a particular interest in him upon his defeat of Lance. She was sending out extremely displeased signals towards Lance and Ash couldn't help but be amused by the Dragon Masters discomfort at being scolded by the older lady.

"Master Agatha, it's good to see you again." Ash bowed his head slightly in respect to the oldest member of the Elite, a year older than Bertha - she was a tough old bird and unfortunately Ash had never had the pleasure of battling with her, although he figured it would be one of his more difficult ones.

She had sent him a letter of congratulations upon his victory after the Silver Conference and then again upon his wins in the Lily Of The Valley Conference and the Ever Grande Conference, after that the two hadn't been in regular contact but Ash sometimes received a letter from her wondering about where he was at in his journey and if he knew anything of possible interest to her, to let her know.

Ash always replied as best he could, sometimes putting in some interesting things that he had found on his travels and sending them back to her. He noticed that in the entrance hall, a fossil he had sent her with half of a rare Pokémon embedded in it, it was currently displayed in one of the glass cases.

Ash stood up from his chair and addressed her politely, "I apologize for not letting you know I would be joining, as I understood-"

"Yes, Lance was supposed to tell me. Obviously it slipped his mind – along with whoever else you decided to invite." She raised an eyebrow at the two and Ash tried his best not to smile at her unsubtle displeasure.

"I'm sorry you were not informed and I hope you were not put out too much." Agatha let out a snort and her lips curled up in a begrudging smile as Ash's over-the-top apology, "I only sent a letter out to Gary Oak and Tracey Sketchit, plus of course – my two companions who were with me when I received my summons also came with me. I have not invited anyone else."

She nodded and gave him a small smile, "yes, well thank you for coming. I understand your journey must have been a long one. I look forward to hearing more about this 'Black Tower' nonsense you mentioned in your last letter," She turned a glare upon Lance who returned a winning smile to her and she rolled her eyes. "You and I will talk later," she said sternly to Lance and once she was satisfied with his response she walked off.

The two Champions waited until she was down the stairs before they addressed each other again, "I don't know how she does it, but she just appears somehow! She's always been the suspicious, sneaky type – much like her Pokémon. Then again one isn't really supposed to become like their Pokemon."

Ash grinned at Lance's rather apt description of Agatha, thinking that Lance really had no reason to censure Agatha's ways when Lance was quite like his own Pokémon, not that the Dragon Master would ever admit it, and then he heard it.

"Misty!"

He stilled completely at the loud call from down below, slowly he turned back around to look over the balcony, he scanned the room slightly and then saw the red hair near the breakfast buffet. He watched her wave to Crasher Wake and Juan, they gestured for her to sit with them and when she had got her food she made her way over to them.

Ash watched Crasher Wake pull her in for a large bear hug and Juan pick her hand up to kiss it lightly, he had a thought in the back of his mind to stop staring at her like he was.

He knew it could be seen as quite creepy and weird but he couldn't look away, having not seen her in years – only hearing frustratingly small, unsatisfying tidbits about her from other people, it was reassuring to see her in the flesh finally. To see with his own eyes that she was alive and looking well, a weight that he didn't know was on his chest lifted, followed by an overwhelming crushing pang.

He turned away, unable to look at her any longer and trying to wipe out the memory and gut-wrenching feeling of waking up and finding her gone.

"You knew she would be coming," Lance spoke quietly; he had noticed Ash go still and silent and had followed his friends gaze to the young woman below.

"Knowing and seeing are two different things," Ash finally managed to get out, albeit shakily. As a Gym Leader of the host region Misty had to attend the summit and Ash had known that, however he had thought seeing her for the first time in such a long time, it would have been just the two of them, not spotting her halfway across a crowded room and watching her laugh and talk with other people.

"You should go and say hello."

Ash turned an incredulous frown at Lance who was smiling wickedly and gestured to the red-head, "Hey Misty, long time no see – how have you been since you left me in the middle of the night 7 years ago with no note?" Lance narrated the possible scenario to Ash who resisted the urge to punch his friend in the head.

"When was the last time you actually talked to a female – other than Agatha or Clair?" Ash asked snidely, turning the tables on the Dragon Master.

Lance scowled at him and Ash, seeing an opening, pounced "why don't _you_ go and say hello," Ash pointed a finger below to the brunette waiting in line to get herself some cereal, Ash knew that Lance had noticed her the minute she had walked into the dining area.

Lance didn't follow his fingers direction but Ash knew he had hit the mark; the Dragon Master had gone slightly pink and had turned his head away while muttering something under his breath that Ash couldn't hear.

"Sorry, didn't quite catch that Lance?" Ash asked cheerily, knowing it would annoy Lance immensely. The Dragon Master bit the inside of his cheek and let out a frustrated sigh, "it's a bit different for you Ash, at least your girl knows you exist, she's just ignoring you for whatever reason."

Not taking the bait, Ash re-directed Lance's line of fire, "you're the Champion of her region Lance, I seriously doubt the fact Jasmine doesn't know that you exist." Ash chortled.

Finally, Lance raised his head and watched the object of his unknown affections walk across the dining hall; Ash wondered if the way Lance was looking at her was the way he had looked at Misty moments before, with a despairing kind of ardor.

"You should invite her up here to sit with us, I can go – it can be almost romantic. You staring at her while she eats. "Ash teased his friend lightly and jabbed him in arm.

For a few minutes Lance didn't respond, he just stared down at the dining room looking slightly lost, Ash started to speak but was cut off as Lance pushed off from the railing and walked past him to head to the stairs readying himself to leave, "Tonight, I'll come by your room with the pictures – it'll be late so stay up."

Slightly bemused Ash nodded, "alright, but Lance seriously – you've liked her for ages. I know it's not really the time and place to ask her out, but what harm could it do in at least talking to her? You know, making the first step."

Ash had only meant to be encouraging, yet he watched Lance stop and turn to give Ash his profile. There was a smirk on his face and bitterness in the eyes of the Dragon Master as he looked down the stairs into the dining room; "because she's here with her fiancée." he carelessly threw out the comment like it meant nothing but Ash knew better – it would have been killing him.

Lance walked down the stairs and of the dining room without looking back; Ash knew he probably wouldn't see him till later tonight and turned back to pick up his and Lance's empty plates, "Pikachu?" He looked around the floor he was on and couldn't find his Pokémon, figuring Pikachu had become bored while he and Lance were talking Ash peered over the railing to try and locate Brock.

He saw Dawn's hair first and then noticed that they were all looking for him, he furrowed his brows and mouthed 'what?' as the looks on their faces were worried. He followed Brocks point to where he saw Pikachu, eating happily off of Misty's plate.

He felt his heart plummet to his knees as he met the familiar green eyes of his ex-girlfriend.

* * *

**Chapter Four end.**

* * *

Okay, so Ash knows the business, albeit slightly vaguely and finally a glimpse of Misty!

Introduction to more romantic relationships in this chapter between some of our main characters, or perhaps what was left of a relationship?

Bit more mystery revealed about Ash's past and what he's been up to – or what he's been prevented from doing…

**Okay, so request/question time** – I like involving readers a bit more in my stories – well as much as I can at least.

While I do have a set story for what will happen, does anyone have anything in particular they want to see – and I'm talking across the board. I'm open to ideas and if in any way they don't MASSIVELY infringe on where I am trying to get to, I may give it a go.

Specific Pokémon they want to see, (yes, I do have Ash's team almost sorted out in my mind, but I am not averse to any other suggestions) moves used…etc.

I have my main characters pretty much sorted; however are there any cameos's that people would like to see? Anyone from Hoenn, Sinnoh, Johto and Kanto – remember Unova is only a passing thought in this story "a far off land" with only rumours about it – as shown in this chapter actually.

On the other hand – anything you don't want to see?

Or please just let me know what you think regarding this chapter, hope you enjoyed it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter five**

* * *

"Pikachu!" Dawn hissed loudly, trying to get his attention as she watched the traitorous Pokémon munch happily off of Misty's plate.

She looked back up at Ash, worry plastered all over her face. He was staring down at Misty and looked like he had just been sucker-punched in the gut, Misty on the other hand was looking remarkably calm for the situation she was in, she was meeting Ash's gaze and seemed to be waiting for his next move.

Refusing to accept the futility of getting Pikachu away from the bacon, Dawn stood up from the table she was at. She had barely managed to get one leg over the other side of the bench when Brock leaned forward and grasped her wrist tightly. She tugged at her wrist, but when Brock didn't let go she met his eyes with a furious glare, "Brock! Let go!"

"Sit down." Brock's tone brook no argument, he would not let go of her wrist until she sat back down. Dawn's glare morphed into a hurt frown and slowly she sat down again. It wasn't until Brock had gotten her promise that she wouldn't get up again and Forrest's affirmation that he would pin her down if necessary that he let her wrist go.

It hadn't really hurt, but just to make her friend feel bad Dawn made a showing of rubbing her wrist as though it did actually smart, "it wouldn't have mattered either way Dawn," Brock said and continued eating nonchalantly while Dawn's mouth dropped open.

"I'm sorry, are we looking at the same thing?" She asked incredulously, "Pikachuis eating off _Misty's_ plate. _Misty!"_

"Yes, I know who she is." Brock's sarcasm was not lost on Dawn and she glared at him again while Forrest tried not to laugh.

"This is the cow that left Ash seven years ago without any reason, no note and no explanation as to why, and then didn't respond to him at all whenever he tried to contact her after that!"

"Don't call her that," Brock responded calmly, but there was a steel-edge to his tone that Forrest didn't miss and he tugged gently on Dawn's shirt sleeve to alert her that she was close to getting Brock a bit more than irritated.

Brock was generally a very calm and collected kind of person; however he was not someone that would tolerate nastiness towards any of his friends and could become very protective if provoked.

"I was there Brock. I know what I saw – Ash loved her and she just left him heartlessly, without even a word. She just stole off in the middle of the night, I'll call her whatever I damn well like; I hate her for what she did to Ash."

There were a few moments of tense silence as Dawn's furious whisper and built-up anger towards Misty was laid bare for Brock and a slightly embarrassed Forrest to hear, slowly Brock finished chewing his food and swallowed. He placed his knife and fork down gently and then turned a rather black look at Dawn who pulled away from her friend slightly, scared at his facial expression.

"I understand that you are old enough to make your own decisions and you have your own opinions Dawn," Brock started with a frosty tone, "however, when it concerns an old friend of mine I do not have to hear it – no, don't say anything. I'm not finished." Brock cut off Dawn with a hard swipe of his hand and she closed her mouth quickly.

"Misty is an old friend of mine and she was there before me, before Tracey, May and Max and well before you. Other than Pikachu and myself she has probably spent the longest time travelling with Ash and she has supported and taken care of him in more ways than one. While I do not support Misty in what she did, I also don't know why she did why she did either. Neither do you, therefore whatever you have to say about her can be considered null and void."

"Excuse me?" Dawn finally interrupted looking rather offended, "null and void? I was _there_ Brock! Ash adored her and as far as I saw there was nothing to change her mind about travelling with him again! And to leave him like she did?" Dawn looked mutinous, "she hurt him. Hurt him deeply, she deserves every bad thing said about her and more!"

Brock interlocked his fingers and brought them up to his chin so he could rest it upon them, "be that as it may, whatever is between them is exactly that – between them. You have no say in the matter and I don't want to hear you badmouth Misty in front of me again, whatever you wish to say out of my hearing, fine. There is nothing I can do about that, but you better be warned not to let your jealously get the better of you, because if Ash hears you…" Brock didn't bother finishing his sentence; he figured Dawn had got the message.

"I'm not jealous." Dawn bit out and even Forrest laughed a little bit until she turned upon him the same glare she had given Brock for laughing also.

"I'm not!" She stamped her feet on the floor for emphasis and Brock shook his head before picking up his fork again, "whatever you say Dawn, however I suggest you leave Pikachu alone-" he gestured with fork over to the happy mouse Pokémon who was now nuzzling Misty's cheek.

"Misty has been a favorite with Pikachu for as long as I can remember, sometimes I wonder if he prefers Misty to Ash." Brock let out a little chuckle, "you would never have got Pikachu away from Misty and Pokémon are a lot like their trainers, Pikachu adores Misty much like you say Ash once adored Misty."

Dawn bit her lip and looked at Misty gently playing and talking to Pikachu, "but she hurt Ash," Dawn said to herself, "how can Pikachu just be alright with that?"

Brock shrugged his shoulders and continued eating, "Pokémon are not only naturally more forgiving than humans but they can feel and see things that their trainers cannot. Considering the bond that Pikachu has with both Ash and Misty, maybe Pikachu knows something that we don't."

* * *

Ash took several steps back from the railing so that he could no longer see anyone in the dining area; he could feel his fingers shaking and adrenaline begin to kick in. Of course Pikachu would go down to see her, of course Misty would share her rasher of bacon with Pikachu – as she always had.

It had been seven long years since he had seen Misty and the same amount for Pikachu, it was no wonder that his Pokémon was currently greeting her in the manner that he was. Pikachu had always adored Misty and despite the bike incident – which for some reason they both tended to blame it all on him, the two were extremely close. Many mornings Ash had woken to find Pikachu curled into Misty rather than himself, most meals he had found Misty sharing some of her food with Pikachu and sometimes Ash had even found himself gently shocked for teasing Misty.

Ash knew he had to go down to collect his Pokémon; Pikachu wouldn't leave Misty unless he went down there himself to collect him. He cursed quietly; Pikachu was extremely crafty and had managed to put him in a position he hadn't thought he'd been ready to be in. Ash hadn't seen her since the night she left, hadn't heard her voice properly or had any contact with her, that had all been on her – she was the one that cut off all contact despite his frequent attempts to contact her.

In the end it had been Brock that had stopped him from leaving his second go round with the Sinnoh League, they had been at Pastoria City when Misty had left and by the time he had made it to Canalave Ash had been more than willing to forgo his spot in the tournament and head back to Kanto to find her and figure out what was wrong.

Brock had convinced him to wait till at least he had finished with the League; it was a long-standing rule that when a trainer applied to enter a league and subsequently compete in the regions Conference, they could not leave the region until such time as they had completed the challenge. Time was not an issue, and you were allowed to go at whatever pace you liked, had Ash left the region before he had finished battling the Gym Leaders and then competed in the Conference, he would have been forfeit until the next go-around.

Usually it was only a year's wait, but there had been one time where in Kanto where it had taken seven years in between Conferences.

Misty leaving the group had helped him beat the rest of the Gym Leaders and win the Lily of the Valley Conference; it was a bittersweet win, full of ferocity and many of the Gym Leaders that had fought him before remarked on his change after he beat them again. If his Pokémon had noticed anything they still hadn't let him down at the time and Brock and Dawn – who had been worried, had let his anger, hurt and frustration play out.

His match with Cynthia was one he barely remembered, however he had been told that it was a sight to behold. After that win he had gone back home to Pallet to avoid all the furor that was surrounding him. He had already won the Silver Conference and while he wasn't the first to win two major conferences, he was still one of only two to have ever done so.

He waited in Pallet town for two weeks for Misty to contact him, once he realized that she was not going to contact him and Professor Oak had once again not entered him in the Indigo Conference, Ash had set off to Pewter to find Brock. He spent another week in Pewter before deciding that he wanted to go around the Orange Islands again.

Brock had been all for it, and Ash figured that when he got back he would be able to enter into the Indigo League and then Misty would have no choice but to see him.

However, his plan had never come to fruition. Once he had Brock had finished their journey around the Orange Islands, Ash found that Professor Oak still wouldn't let him compete in the Kanto region tournament again, saying that he had to compete in Hoenn and win first.

At the time Ash had taken it in stride and had channeled all his energy into the Hoenn league, he had been joined again this time by Max and May who were also planning to take on the Gym Leaders. Because the brother and sister had decided to join Ash upon his journey, it had taken him twice as long to finish the Gym Leader portion of the challenge, not that he minded. It had been nice to take his time to enjoy the journey and also guiding May and especially Max, to their Gym Leader victories.

While in Johto he had been steadfastly determined to win and Sinnoh had been plagued by anger and despair, Hoenn was relaxing. It had reminded him of the fun that he had with Pokémon. It had been what he needed after Sinnoh, and eventually Misty and her crushing actions had faded to the back of his mind.

Every now and then he had remembered, he remembered the uplifting feeling of seeing her smile at him and the thumping in his chest when she kissed him. He remembered sitting with her at the Lake of Rage the night before he had to battle Pryce again and watching the Aurora Borealis with her.

It was only now in seeing her that he remembered what it felt like when he had lost her, a feeling he had once promised to never forget and now knew that despite what he had thought, he didn't just forget. It was still as potent as the morning that he woke up to find she and all her gear was gone. No note, no nothing.

Back then, when he had finally managed to calm down and listen to Brock's explanation that had she been stolen away, then they probably wouldn't have taken everything she travelled with also, Ash had found a short message left on his voicemail demanding that he no-longer contact her and good-luck with the rest of his journey.

He had played the message a dozen times, trying to find a hitch in her voice – trying to imagine the look on her face as she had spoke into the machine. It had led, to the first time in a very long while, that he had yelled at Pikachu. His Pokémon had got it into his head that he had done something to make Misty leave and had not been happy about it. Eventually, Pikachu's daily jolts combined with the confusion and guilt had unleashed into a rage where Ash had yelled at Pikachu to leave him alone and to go and find Misty himself, followed by a few expletives and ramblings towards his beloved Pokémon.

After that, it had been a visit from Lance and Pikachu that had brought Ash back from his despair. Finally understanding that his Master had not been the cause for Misty's departure, Pikachu had rallied and had poured a lot of affection into Ash through that period.

Dawn and Brock had also done their best during the trying time, while Dawn had tried to keep his spirits up and Brock had managed to talk him into waiting till the end of the Sinnoh tournament to go and confront her, it had been Lance that had got him moving and training again.

The fist-fight that had ensued had horrified Dawn, Brock had refused to treat either of them but he did laugh afterwards at their stupidity. Lance had stayed with them for just over a month before he had to move on again, but it had been enough to get Ash not only up and moving again, but to also have clear direction in what he wanted to achieve.

Once Ash had come back from Hoenn, fresh off his third victory and eager to take on Kanto, he had found himself again stopped from entering the Indigo Conference by Professor Oak. The excuse that time had been that he was riding the waves of celebration and to take a little while until it all died down – like he had done when he had head to the Orange Islands after his Lily of the Valley Conference victory. Ash had done that, but instead of going anywhere, he had stayed in Pallet town.

It had been his longest stay at home since he had been ten years old and after a year, when he had gone back to Professor Oak he had once again found the Professor hesitant to enter him, and eventually Professor Oak had revealed that he never had any intention to enter Ash again.

It had been the final nail in the coffin and embittered, Ash had met Brock at Vermillion and together they set out again. Over the next three year period, Ash took on the Battle Frontier Brains in Hoenn, Johto and Sinnoh; he had also taken time out to help train Max in Hoenn who had joined them briefly at the Battle Frontier while May was off with Drew and Dawn in Sinnoh.

The past two days had been the first time he had set a foot back in Kanto after three years, standing in the Indigo Plateau put him firmly back in home-territory and slowly he was beginning to realize what he had left behind.

Gritting his teeth and trying to leave the thoughts of his past behind, Ash made his way to the stairs and slowly stepped down them. Once he got to the bottom he took in another deep breath and made his way down the aisles to where Pikachu was waiting for him.

He was stopped and greeted many times, it made his nerves jolt every time he heard a cheery,"Hello Ash!" or a whispered reverent "that's Ash Ketchum!" He steadfastly ignored looking at Brock or Dawn, he didn't want to see the looks on their faces, he knew Dawn wouldn't approve and Ash had never asked Brock what he felt about the whole thing.

Her red hair was getting closer and as he went over in his head what the first thing he would say to her would be, he felt his ability to speak dwindle.

"If it isn't Ash Ketchum! I thought I recognized that yellow menace over there, c'mere!" Crasher Wake's booming voice and bone-breaking hug made Ash smiled briefly for a moment; Crasher pushed him back and kept his hands on his shoulders while he inspected him.

"Last time I saw you, it would have been you taking on Cynthia about 7 years ago, you've grown since then, shrimpy little thing you were too." Crasher was squinting at Ash as he looked him up and down, almost unbelieving of Ash's growth spurt.

Ash laughed, he was now taller than Crasher but the man still had a breadth on him that Ash could never hope to achieve. The big man was larger than life and seemed to breathe vivaciousness, it could be considered strange that he was such good friends with Juan; however the Sootopolis Gym Leader shared the same joie-de-vivre as Crasher. For two people so unalike in temperament, they both enjoyed the pageantry of it all - almost as much as Fantina.

Juan had come over and gave Ash a sweeping bow in greeting, Crasher had laughed boisterously at it and slapped Juan on the back so hard that the Water Trainer had almost careened straight into Ash. Once he had straightened up, Juan have given the departing Crasher a side-eye glare before turning back to Ash and flashing him a blinding smile.

"Juan, how are you?"

"Fabulous, young man, fabulous - but I must say, it's been a while since any of us have seen you. What on earth have you been up to? We've all been waiting for your Indigo Conference announcement; surely the Battle Frontier can't be all that interesting?" Ash grinned; Juan was one of many Gym Leaders who didn't like the idea of a Battle Frontier and made no bones about his dislike of it. While in Hoenn, Ash had come across Wallace who had begged and pleaded Ash to not tell his teacher that he was taking part. As far as Ash knew, Juan still didn't know and by the sound of his tone of voice in regards to the Battle Frontier, Wallace wasn't about to tell his former mentor anytime soon.

"Sorry to disappoint Juan, but I have no plans for Kanto just yet." Ash scratched the back of his head and gave a sheepish smile; Juan pursed his lips in distaste and nodded his assent. "Hm, well dear boy – do try and make it soon. Some of us would like to see it in this century – I have no doubt that you and Lance will give off another stunning display."

Ash nodded, "I'll do my best, sir."

"Sir?! Fabulous – I'll have to get Wallace to start saying that, sir!" Juan sent him another charming grin before sweeping away in search of his student. Ash chuckled to himself; he was going to get a beating from Wallace when the Hoenn Champion found him.

"Pika-Pi! Pikachi-Pi!" Ash found his good humor disappearing as he fought the urge to just run away from the situation. Fixing his face so that he was hopefully not smiling, frowning or doing something terrifying in-between, Ash turned around.

Misty was standing before him; Pikachu was on her shoulder and being happily petted by her while waving at Ash, "Pika-Pi!"

_Yeah, yeah – I know she's here you cheeky buggar, _Ash thought to himself as he walked closer, once he stood within touching distance he stopped and cleared his throat. He raised his hand to wave at Misty and then quickly struck his hand down and tried not to let the mortification on his face show at his random actions.

_A wave Ash? Seriously? _Ash thoughts suddenly morphed into Lance's mocking tone and he knew his face had turned into a scowl.

"Hello Ash," he jumped slightly at the sound of her voice and finally raised his eyes to meet her own, she was smiling but it wasn't as warm as it used to be. Her hair was still red – it was longer and no longer fit as a side ponytail so it was tied up at the back of her head.

"Hel-" Ash coughed briefly to hide his stutter, "hello Misty."

The imaginary chasm between was large and filled with unanswered questions, the tension was tangible and Ash wouldn't be surprised if everyone in the whole dining hall noticed the strange atmosphere that was surrounding the two. He could see that she looked slightly uncomfortable and part of him felt glad – another part just felt dejection. He didn't want her to feel that way around him, ever. While he did want to know why she left him, it wasn't the time and the place to get into that discussion and quite frankly it was getting to the point where he just wanted to move on.

"How have you been?" He asked her while breathing in deeply to calm himself down and not let a blush rise to his face, small talk had never been his forte and in normal circumstances he could have a good conversation with anyone, especially Misty, however the awkwardness between them made it frustratingly difficult.

She seemed initially surprised by his question and he was about to retract it when the warm, brilliant smile she used to give him burst through and made him falter, "good, I've been good – and you?"

She suddenly seemed more eager to talk to him and Ash pondered for a second whether or not she had been expecting a different question, he then thought to answer her question with a non-subtle reference to what they were both really thinking about, but decided to take the gift she had offered, "yeah, great." He smiled back at her and nodded.

"Great, that's great," she smiled again and bowed her head slightly so as not to look him in the eyes, she seemed to struggle over a question and Ash was on the edges of telling her to ask it – no matter what it was, when she shook her head slightly and then raised it up again, "so – how's your mom?"

Ash opened his mouth to speak and then stopped; he felt all the blood drain from his face, his eyes bulged slightly and his jaw went slack.

_Oh my god, _was all that was running through his head. The panic that erupted inside of his was like an active volcano, he stood stock still in motion – no part of him was moving and he knew he must have looked like a complete idiot.

"Ash?" Misty asked with worry in her tone and finally Ash broke free of his panic-induced paralysis and turned to look at her, "I have to go," he said robotically.

"Go?" Misty parroted but she was cut off as Pikachu bounded off her shoulder and followed the now departing Ash to the double doors of the dining area.

Ash felt the familiar weight on his shoulder as he hustled out of the dining area, of all the things for him to forget – and then to remember while he was finally talking to Misty. If he wasn't in such a hurry he would have slapped a palm to his forehead and kicked himself.

He weaved in between the bustles of people and completely ignored anyone calling his name as he bounded up five flights of stairs to get to his room, once in there he shut the door and locked it – not wanting to be interrupted.

He took a few deep breaths and Pikachu jumped off his shoulder to bounce onto the bed, Ash took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair to tame it slightly and sat down at the computer in his room.

He turned it on and waited for it to load, "I can't believe I forgot, I'm so dead!" Ash muttered to himself while the computer beeped into life, he quickly turned on the video chat software and waited for the other end to pick up his call.

"Ash honey!"

The familiar auburn hair and warm brown eyes of Delia Ketchum popped onto the screen; she was wearing her apron and had flour on one cheek.

Ash could feel happiness burst into his chest and he grinned widely, Pikachu at the sound of her voice quickly hopped onto Ash's lap from the bed and waved at the computer screen, "Pika-Pi-Pi!"

"Hi Mom, guess where I am?"

* * *

"I can't believe you forgot," Brock laughed loudly before his face was met with Ash's pillow. Brock grabbed and chucked it back at his friend, "I mean honestly Ash – I reminded you three times before we got here."

"Yeah, yeah." Ash grabbed the pillow before it hit his head and placed it back down on his bed, he flumped his body back down and let out a sigh. The two were waiting for Lance to show up with the promised pictures, Ash had let Brock in on what Lance had told him earlier that day and they had tried to come up with various ideas as to what could be causing the breakdown of the Pokémon.

Brock definitely stood by the theory of the origin, of what they were now calling a 'disease,' being in Victory Road. However, he too had no idea as to what could possibly be causing it. Somehow, their conversation had segued into Ash's short conversation with Misty at breakfast that morning and following that, Ash running out of the Dining area like he had some angry Houndour on his tail.

Brock finally sobered up from his laughing, "I suppose your Mom was happy to know you were back in Kanto?"

Ash smirked, "yes and no – she was angry that I didn't come through Pallet to visit her."

Brock raised an eyebrow, "did you explain the circumstances?"

Ash nodded and yawned, "yeah – but I don't think she really gets the importance of a Summit and besides it's been three years since I last saw her properly, she must be terrified at the state of my underwear."

Brock chuckled, "I suppose so, three years –really? Three years since you have been back here?" Ash nodded and Brock let out a low whistle. A few times each year Brock had come back to Kanto for birthdays and Christmas and other holidays to spend time with his family, Ash hadn't joined him then. He had spent time with May, Max and their family when he was in Hoenn, had travelled with Lance briefly in Johto and had spent time by himself while he was in Sinnoh and Dawn was back in Twinleaf.

Ash had always been welcomed to join Brock and he knew it, but he just figured it was nice for Brock to get away from him once in a while. As good friends as they were, Ash could appreciate that he didn't do half as much for Brock as his friend did for him, and his mother had never made any noises about him coming back.

She had always encouraged him in everything that he did – as long as he checked in with her once in a while, which was something he usually made sure to do. She had made him promise to visit her as soon as the Summit was over which he had dutifully agreed to, with what was happening with Pokémon Ash was slightly worried for his mother and for her Mr Mime. He was hoping that he and Lance could come to an agreement of sorts in regard to what it was that Lance wanted of him.

"But other than being unhappy at your drive-by, how is Mrs. Ketchum?"

Ash gave a thumbs-up gesture and yawned again, "c'mon Lance, some of us need to catch up their sleep," he muttered grumpily.

As soon as he had said it, there was an abrupt knock on the door followed by Lance entering quickly and shutting the door behind him.

The Dragon Master was breathing hard and peering out the peep-hole in the door, Ash and Brock shared a bemused look, "uh, Lance?"

"Shhh!" Lance hushed Ash and waved his hand haphazardly behind him, he was still peering out the door seemingly looking for someone. Ash got up from the bed and gently padded over to his friend at the door, "what was the point in even knocking if you weren't going to wait for an answer?"

"You should be used to that," Lance replied without missing a beat and Ash sighed before heading back to his bed to wait for Lance to be satisfied with whatever it was he was doing.

Another few seconds passed and Lance relaxed, he pulled away from the door with a grin on his face, "safe, I thought for a moment that A-" Lance stopped and he turned his poker-face on as he noticed Brock on the adjacent bed, Brock waved slightly, slightly unsure if he was allowed to be there, "hey there."

There were a few moments of silence before Ash broke in with "you should be used to this," and the tension was dispelled, Lance scoffed and pulled the finger at his friend who just grinned in response.

"How much do you know?" Lance finally asked Brock as he pulled out the computer chair and sat down; Brock debated whether or not to tell Lance that he knew everything that Ash did – courtesy of Ash himself. He could possibly be putting Ash into more trouble than he should have been in, then again technically Ash shouldn't have known as much as he did either.

In the end it didn't matter as Ash spoke for him, "Brock knows everything that I know – everything you told me at breakfast, what was in the notes, all of it."

Brock waited for the explosion but all he found was Lance nodding and retrieving a small USB stick from a hidden area in his gloves, "good."

"You're not mad?" Brock asked while Lance got to work on bringing up the photos on the screen.

Lance shook his head and grinned, "that would be slightly hypocritical of me, Ash shouldn't know all that he does and besides – I would have been shocked if he didn't tell you. Besides we need more brains like yours."

"Like mine?" Brock queried and Lance noticed as he started to work through the encryptions on the USB stick.

"Yeah – Ash has told me that you have a good mind for strategy. He put your name up next to his in the champion's room as his strategist – next time you're in Johto you should come have a look, we actually need to get a photo of you to put up there."

Brock looked around Lance to stare at Ash who just shrugged, "what? It's true. Lance you didn't bring any snacks did you?"

Brock ignored the banter between Lance and Ash for a moment, he smiled to himself – trust Ash to do something as monumental like that and not tell him. Technically, it wasn't as true as Ash had so nonchalantly admitted– Ash had managed quite well by himself, sure he did use Brock's strategies in the beginning but it almost always segued into something quite different, with Ash thinking outside the box in ways Brock didn't even know were possible.

"Why would I have brought snacks?"

"Why wouldn't you have brought them?"

"Do I look like the kind of person who would bring snacks along with top-secret information? Besides, you are not going to want to have food anywhere near you after you see these."

"If we ever get to see these," Ash muttered quietly to himself and lay back on the bed with a flump, completely missing Lance's scowl.

"I'd like to see you try this," Lance gestured to the machine and the intricate coding on it which made Ash leap up from the bed so quickly that he almost made Pikachu fly off the bed, "sorry buddy," Ash apologized quickly before turning determined eyes back on Lance, "alright then, move your ass!"

Lance raised an eyebrow and abruptly stood up over his chair to get out of the way for Ash , Brock decided to intervene before their ego's got in the way.

"Children, please – we are not here to see which of you is better at hacking. If you would care to remember there is something rather serious going on, something we need to figure out and it's quite fatal to Pokémon and people alike. So, Lance – if you don't mind?" Brock gestured to the computer and the Dragon Master sat down with a disgruntled look on his face and continued tapping away at the computer, while Ash had the grace to look sheepish while he sat back down.

"Tell me again why I let you stay here?" Lance asked and Brock let out a grin as he pushed back onto the wall to lean against it.

"Because I have a brilliant, logical brain."

Both Lance and Ash let out groans, Ash picked up his pillow again and threw at Brock while Lance threw a punch at his leg, all of which Brock just laughed off.

Suddenly there was a beep from the computer, "got-it!" Lance whispered and both Ash and Brock leaped up from their beds to crowd around the computer. Lance hovered the mouse icon over the folder that contained all the pictures, "alright – be warned it's pretty gruesome. The oldest to the most recent and it gets worse as we go on."

Ash swallowed and then nodded, "yeah, I get it – just show me." With that Lance double clicked on the folder and the slideshow popped up.

The first picture was of a Graveler, it didn't look as bad as Ash was expecting – the Pokémon was curled into a ball, bits of its rock skin had chipped off and it was obviously dead.

"This was the first case we had of a Pokémon being mentally unstable – the rune part hadn't begun at this point," Lance explained and then clicked forward a few times on the slide show, "this is a month later."

Ash heard Brocks intake of breath, on the screen was another Graveler – however this time, there was hardly anything left of the poor Pokémon, what was left was covered in deep gouge marks.

"These marks have no coherency, but it's where we believe the runes really began to take place, this next one shows the first full one that we have-"

Lance clicked and the next image came up on screen, Brock had to look away – it was of a Zubat, dead and covered in its own blood. Its wings were broken and the Pokémon had attacked its own chest with no abandon, it had scratched so hard that all the skin was removed and you could see right through to the organs where a small etching could be seen upon the tiny heart.

"And you don't know what it says?" Brock asked from behind Lance who turned around in his chair so that he could address Brock properly as the Breeder still had his back turned to the screen, "no clue, Lorelei and Agatha have searched through our Libraries and have come up with nothing – it was when we saw this that we decided to involved the Professors."

"The Professors had nothing either, correct?" Ash asked, he was flicking through the photos carefully and finally stopped on the Arcanine that Lance had seen a month before.

Lance nodded "correct, this is the first Pokémon that didn't come out of Victory Road," Lance gestured to the Arcanine on the screen and Brock finally turned back around. "It was part of the reason the summit was held – well that and the next picture."

Ash clicked over immediately and then wished he hadn't, it was a picture of the torso that Lance had mentioned at breakfast. Ash could feel that breakfast come back up to settle in his throat and was now rather glad that he hadn't seen the photos then.

"The rune on his collar bone," Lance pointed it out to Ash and Brock who were both having a hard time keeping focused on the awful picture, "it's exactly the same as what is on the Arcanine – in the same place too."

Ash flicked back and forth between the two pictures to have a look, "you see it?" He asked Brock who nodded grimly, deciding that he had seen enough Ash minimized the slideshow and then sat back down on his bed.

Brock remained standing and Lance studied the two of them while he waited for them to digest what they had just seen. "Is that the only case of where the symbols have been the same?" Brock asked suddenly.

"Yes," Lance answered him, "I had a look over them after I saw that and I noticed nothing similar in any of the others, but then again – over the time that this has been happening, what was once just scratches have now become symbols – and they are becoming more clear as time goes on. "

Brock nodded to himself absently and Lance narrowed his eyes, "what are you thinking?"

Brock sighed, "I'm thinking – that maybe it's a message. Maybe the Pokémon are trying to tell us something."

"But with runes?" Ash finally spoke up – "Brock, these symbols are probably…ancient. The only things similar I have seen are the Unknown, and then they are basically the alphabet!"

"Well then maybe it's a language we don't know of – I mean there is so much about Pokémon we don't know. New Pokémon are being discovered every year, evolutions we never believed possible – how many Legendary Pokémon have you seen Ash? You've met Arceus for Christ-sake!"

Lance turned sharply to look at Ash who was looking tiredly at Brock, "you never told me that! I thought Arceus was just a myth?" Lance accused Ash who just waved a nonchalant hand.

"Yeah well, when you meet the Pokémon who possibly_ created_ the entire universe, you kind of want to stay on their good side and when they ask you not to tell anyone – you don't tell anyone. Not even Dragon Masters." Ash added that last bit on with a stern look at Lance who closed his mouth and stopped his next argument.

Ash sighed, "I think the best bet we have in figuring these out is Cynthia – she's pretty knowledgeable in all of this, and failing that she knows most of the Elders. I think the Elders of the towns should be involved, they may be privy to information that the League's don't have."

Lance's lip curled, "yeah, but the question is will they share it? Selfish dicks."

Ash smiled a bit while Lance muttered to himself, "if anyone can get them to cooperate, it's Cynthia. She needs to be made aware of this – all of this, not just what you guys are going to tell us at the Summit."

Lance raised his hands, "not my choice – Agatha is the one who is withholding information. If it was up to me all of this would have gone out with the summons. Would have got people here faster."

Ash ran a hand over his face and then through his hair, "right so – Cynthia. Tomorrow we get her involved and see what she can rustle up."

"Don't let Agatha or the rest know about it, it's just between the three of us." Lance spoke quickly and both Brock and Ash shot him looks. "It will slow the whole thing down, we need answers and we need them now. If the League comes into it, then so will a whole lot of systems and processes that will have fifteen hoops we will need to jump through and Agatha will be at the helm of that."

Brock and Ash shared a look, "Lance – not getting them involved could seriously impact-"

"I'll take all the blame," Lance interjected quickly already knowing their objections. "I know, it's a hard thing to ask – and it could possibly impact on you and your life with Pokémon if they find out… but it's only two days to the Summit, and we need _something _to get them to agree."

"Agree to what?" Ash asked Lance who didn't look at him but stared at the carpet. "I have a few ideas, but you sent your Dragonite to me Lance, you sent your strongest Pokémon to _deliver me a freaking note." _

Lance sighed and bit his top lip, "we don't know what we're dealing with, we don't know anything about any of this. We need information and it's what we don't have a lot of at present – the best way to get it is to go directly to the source."

Ash nodded, "you want me to go into Victory Road, don't you?"

Lance raised his head, "not alone – I would go with you and anyone else you wanted" Lance looked up at Brock quickly, "we could explore it and maybe find answers."

Ash moved back on his bed to lean back against the wall to take in what Lance was asking of him, Brock side-eyed Lance, "that's a lot to ask someone, especially with what is happening to the Pokémon and people in the cave."

"I know that," Lance sounded frustrated and glared at Brock, "I know that it's a huge thing to ask – but you said it yourself, 'how many Legendary Pokémon has Ash seen?' How many times has he been in danger and he's still here."

"Luck runs out." Brock replied heatedly.

"I don't think it was just luck that got him through it," Lance replied snarkily and Brock gave him a grim grin.

"Were you there to know?"

"Just to be clear," Ash interrupted loudly in between Lance and Brock's argument, "you want me to go into Victory Road and find information. Nothing else?"

Lance turned back to Ash and nodded eagerly, "yeah, I would suggest a team of three plus myself. Just information Ash, if we see anything – we don't engage. We run."

Ash met Lance's eyes and he could see the sincerity there, he meant what he said about not engaging with the potential enemy. Ash looked away and he focused on Pikachu dozing at the end of his bed, "what about my Pokémon, what if something happens to them?"

To that, Lance had nothing to say. He knew that there was no current cure and he understood the risks involved in what he was proposing to Ash. "I know you are willing to risk your Pokémon Lance, but did you stop to think that maybe I wouldn't be so willing?"

Lance nodded, "the thought did cross my mind. More than once and if you think that I haven't faltered in my resolve you would be wrong. I don't want to lose my Pokémon any more than you do, but-"

"-if it keeps happening, your Pokémon may eventually succumb to whatever it is affecting them anyway." Brock finished gently, "the question is are you willing to take the risk to wait and do nothing and maybe your Pokémon will be alright, or do you do something about the problem and risk your Pokémon the same fate, maybe just earlier?"

Lance smiled sadly at Brock who nodded back and then addressed Ash, "whatever you decide Ash, I'll support your decision and if you do decide to go, then know that I will come with you should you ask me."

There was silence for a moment while Brock and Lance looked to Ash for an answer, "what would happen if I said no?" Ash asked suddenly.

"Then you would stay here; stay here until the Summit was declared over-"

"I meant who would go in my place?" Ash interrupted and finally turned away from Pikachu to look at Lance, "you're not going to give up on this – if it's not me, then it's probably you – you leading the team. I want to know who else you would take with you."

Lance shrugged, "honestly I don't know. I hadn't thought that far – actually Agatha probably wouldn't let me go, she wouldn't agree to it at all. Sending people into Victory Road, she would stomp on the whole thing."

"If you knew she would say no, they why did you bother asking Ash?" Brock asked slightly bewildered.

"Because Agatha trusts Ash, well – more than me at least and she would trust Ash to do the right thing. To engage when it's right, to run when you need to run – Agatha would believe in Ash to get the job done." Lance shook his head, "I on the other hand – she believes in me, but she knows me far too well. I get too involved, I care too much – I need to be reigned in and I reckon if Ash would be leader of the party then Agatha would know that I recognize that and respect him. I would listen to him."

Ash let out an amused snort, "no you wouldn't!"

Lance grinned wolfishly, "Agatha doesn't need to know that."

Ash let out a hollow laugh and rubbed his eyes for a second, "I need to think about this, I'm sorry Lance – but I can't give you a straight answer right now."

Lance shrugged and got up from his chair, "I figured that – and if I had more time to give I would let you have it – but I need to know before the Summit Ash. I need to know before I sit in that chair and start trying to manipulate the situation to go my way."

Ash nodded while Lance shut down the PC and took out the USB to hide it away again, "you will have an answer before the Summit begins, I promise."

Lance head to the door and peered out the key-hole again, "thank you – I know what I'm asking of you is not an easy decision to make and I will understand if you give me the answer I don't want to hear." Both Brock and Ash waved as Lance gently opened the door and left the room.

Brock shut the door behind Lance and let out a heavy sigh, "don't!" Ash warned and Brock let out a laugh while putting his hands up in a surrender gesture, "not going to say a word." Brock made his way back to his bed and flopped back down on it; he took a look at his watch and groaned slightly at the 2.14am time glowing back up at him.

"It's what we thought then," Ash spoke up suddenly and Brock twisted his head to look over at Ash. He was laying face up on his bed and was staring up at the ceiling, "yeah – it is." Broke spoke carefully wondering what was going through his friends head at the moment.

"So, you really named me your strategist?" Brock asked slyly and Ash let out a laugh before grabbing for his pillow again.

"I'm not going to give it back this time!"

* * *

End chapter.

So – long chapter. Twice as long as the others, but I did promise that not only would we have Lance's reason for brining Ash here (which I'm sure most of you guessed anyway) and Ash's first meeting with Misty.

That, combined with a brief run-down on what Ash has been up to all this time equals this rather long chapter. In writing this I messed up my time-line slightly (brain of the future) so there are few small things I had to go back in change in other chapters. Nothing major – the story hasn't changed, just a few bits regarding the past and what has happened in terms of where Ash has been and when.

For the record: NO, I don't hate Dawn! I actually think she's great and she remains a favorite of mine – which is why she's featured in this story. I think her reaction to Misty is quite justified – as a young woman I would have been just as indignant for a friend of mine if it had happened to one of them, and I probably wouldn't have been able to recognize that there are two sides to every story in my youth either.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, please let me know what you think – and any requests, comments or concerns? Let me know!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter six.

* * *

The next day had Ash wandering around the Indigo Plateau like a chicken with his head cut off, he had expected to see Cynthia at breakfast so he could ask to speak to her in private. Lance was just leaving the dining area as he, Brock and Dawn were arriving.

Cynthia hadn't shown up while Lance was there and he said he would have a look round the Indigo Plateau as best he could, he had to meet Agatha and the rest of the Elite Four later that morning for a meeting regarding the Summit and he didn't know when he would be let out.

Brock and Ash hadn't told Dawn what they knew; they figured it was best that she was kept out of it for the time being. She wasn't the quietest person around and she also knew a lot of people, they didn't want her accidentally sharing something she shouldn't – especially to some of the younger trainers.

However, they did engage her help in trying to find Cynthia and by the time they had finished their breakfast she still hadn't arrived. "Do you know what room she's staying in?" Brock asked Dawn as the group headed up to the front of the room to deposit their trays and rubbish.

"She's on the sixth floor – but I'm not sure which room exactly." Dawn said apologetically, "how about we split up? I'll check the sixth floor and work my way down from there and you guys check down here and outside for her!" With that, Dawn took off out of the dining area and headed towards the sixth floor.

"What's the bet she took the stairs again?" Brock asked amused by Dawn's enthusiasm. They decided that Ash would check around outside and Brock would check the lower areas and they would meet back in the entrance hall once they had checked.

As Ash headed outside the Indigo Plateau he stopped outside the doors abruptly, looming in the distance was Victory Road and he wished for a moment that he had chosen to head down into the 'dungeon' area of the Indigo Plateau. It was eerie walking around the Plateau with no Pokémon in sight, quiet and unnatural. It was like you couldn't help but know that something wasn't right.

Ash walked around the Plateau twice as he had stopped and greeted old friends and rivals alike, he had hastily made up an excuse to avoid running with Morty the following morning – and thus every potential morning afterwards that he was here. Maylene, who he had found around the back of the building had given him a punch for a greeting along with a bright smile, Ash was sure that he would feel that punch well into next week.

He walked back into the Plateau frustrated and hoping that either Brock or Dawn would be waiting for him with Cynthia there – or at least a hint of where she could possibly be. As it turned out, neither Dawn or Brock were waiting for him so Ash busied himself trying to blend in with his surroundings by looking at the artifacts that were on display. He was just about to read the blurb below what he could only describe as a hunk of rock when he heard a familiar voice behind him, "If it wasn't for the fact that I know you are trying to avoid everyone, I would feel slightly offended."

Ash grinned and turned around, "hello Clair." He greeted the Blackthorn Gym Leader warmly, as well as being Lance's cousin, Clair happened to be a good friend of Ash's despite their frosty beginnings. "I heard you had a tough journey getting here? If I had known you were coming through Blackthorn I would have waited –or at least gave you some accommodation."

Ash waved her off, "thanks but we wouldn't have stopped – we arrived in Blackthorn early and kept going – we were running out of time. And yes, I know. Get a watch!"

Clair smirked, "more like a day planner." She sniggered, "bright yellow, with a Pikachu face on it." Ash grimaced at her while she laughed to herself, "speaking of – where is the rodent?" Pikachu hadn't gone outside with Ash who hadn't blamed his Pokémon, he hadn't liked it either and his Pokémon had decided to go with Brock downstairs.

"He's with Brock, we're looking for Cynthia – if you see her could you let know?" Ash tried to not let the urgency in his voice come through.

Clair nodded absently, "on that note – if you see my lazy excuse for a cousin could you let me know? I've been here over a week and he still hasn't come to find me."

Ash smiled, Lance and Clair had grown up together and were more like brother and sister than cousins, Clair was older than Lance and despite his standing as not only a Dragon Master, a Champion of Johto and considered one of the strongest trainers of his age, Clair still teased him and took every opportunity possible to embarrass him.

"If you haven't seen someone while in close proximity with them, then maybe they don't want to be found." Ash raised a brow and took in the double meaning of Lance's words as he came up behind his cousin. Clair smirked and stepped back allowing Ash a better view of the two. Lance was scowling at Clair and stood in a defensive stance with his arms crossed, "what do you want? I'm a busy man."

"Can't a woman just say hello to her cousin – one she hasn't seen in months?"

Lance just stared at her and Clair rolled her eyes, "the Elder Masters-"

"No!" Lance interrupted rudely and held a hand up, "no."

He pointed a finger at Clair who looked exasperated, "would you just hear-"

"No."

"But-"

"No."

"Lance!"

"No!"

Ash watched the two bicker, it was quite funny to watch Lance revert back to a child-like stubbornness and Clair becoming overly frustrated. It would lead to what it always did-"

"Ow!"

"Serves you right! Stubborn idiot!"

Ash let out a laugh which drew their attention, their arguments always ended the same way – Lance would stay stubborn and Clair in her frustration would hit him hard over the head.

That was the scene that Jasmine and Falkner were dragged into, Lance hadn't noticed the couple behind him but Clair had, Ash saw the evil grin and her intentions before Lance did and had tried to stop her to no avail.

"Jasmine!" Clair said aloud but it was directly at Lance who stiffened, his cheeks went pink and then his whole face went white. "How are you?"

After some hesitation, Jasmine and Falkner made their way over to the group, she smiled warmly at Ash in greeting, Ash returned it and shook hands with Falkner all the while trying to send them mental signals of 'get away, run away, go – now!'

Clair was extremely vindictive and hated losing anything – even petty arguments like the one she had just had. She also knew about Lance's feelings for Jasmine and constantly exploited them and teased him about it.

"My cousin and I," Clair latched on like a limpet to one of Lance's arms and wouldn't let go, Lance tried to shake her off but soon stopped when he realized she wasn't finished with her torment, "were wondering about your wedding."

Ash closed his eyes briefly before looking back at Lance, he was staring rigidly ahead with his jaw clenched. Ash wouldn't be surprised if soon his eye would start twitching.

Falkner tried to engage him in conversation but Ash was too busy trying to find a way out the moment for his friend and gave short and rather terse answers. Thankfully, Falkner soon got the hint and turned back to Clair and Jasmine – who were now talking about Jasmine's dress, or lack thereof.

"That sounds stunning, doesn't that sound stunning Lance?"

Lance let out a grunt and Jasmine looked up at him, "maybe we should change the subject, I think it might be a bit boring for a Dragon Master." She let out an awkward laugh and Ash could see Lance jerk his head at the sound.

"Nonsense," Clair said languidly but Ash could see a satisfied glint in her eye and despite the fact that he thought of her as a friend and he couldn't abide the thought of hitting a woman, he really wanted to stamp on her boot covered feet - or get Pikachu to shock her gently.

"What do you think Lance, white or pale pink for Jasmine's potential dress?"

All eyes of the group were on Lance who was still trying to look stoic, to Jasmine and Falkner who didn't know Lance as well as Clair and Ash did, he could almost look bored or annoyed with the situation. To Ash and Clair, they could see the struggle in the Dragon Master, the desperation to get away from situation.

Falkner let out a laugh and casually draped an arm over Jasmine's shoulders, "hard decision Master Lance? You may hold the future of my brides dress in what you say next." He had said it jokingly and there was a good-natured friendliness about Falkner that belied his fierce persona when it came to battling.

Ash knew that under any other circumstances Falkner and Lance would have got along rather well – and while Ash was sure that Lance didn't hate Falkner for being with Jasmine, the self-loathing that Lance had built up inside due to his own cowardice would probably spill over into resentment towards the Gym Leader.

Lance ripped his hand out of Clair's grip so violently that it made Falkner and Clair step back while Jasmine let out a cry of surprise, he turned stiffly to Jasmine and grimaced down at her, "I am sure you will look magnificent in whatever it is you choose to wear."

Jasmine met his sharp gaze and stammered out a thank you, before she could say anymore Lance nodded and turned on his heel to leave. The small group watched him go as he marched back to the staircase that would take him below, Agatha was waiting by the stairs for him and had been watching the small exchange, Ash noted that she had murmured something as Lance blew past her.

Slightly bewildered, Falkner and Jasmine left the group to head back up the stairs although Ash noted that Jasmine kept turning her head in the direction that Lance had gone and wondered if Lance finally had got Jasmine's attention.

"That was cruel."

Ash jumped, Agatha had sneaked up to him and Clair after Falkner and Jasmine had left. Lance had it right – the woman was silent and sometimes as creepy as her ghost Pokémon.

Clair waved a hand towards the older woman disdainfully, "Lance deserved it, besides at least Jasmine paid attention to him for once. If he doesn't get a move on then he'll find she will be truly out of his reach."

"She already is," Ash argued, "she's engaged – and taunting that in front of him is cruel." He gestured to Agatha showing that he was in agreement with her.

Clair let out a scoff, "please – Jasmine has the choice of being with a low-level Gym Leader or my cousin, the Johto Champion, a Dragon Master and heir to the Blackthorn Clan. She just doesn't know it yet."

"Not every woman finds power and prestige as favorable as you do." Agatha spoke up, her lip was curling and Clair sneered back.

"Say's a member of the Elite Four – never found anyone worthy? Or is it that because you never wanted to share your glory?"

"My private life and choices are none of your concern-"

"And my cousin should be none of yours," Clair took a step toward towards Agatha in an attempt to intimidate her, fruitless in Ash's opinion. Despite Clair's height and Agatha having to crane her neck up awkwardly, Ash bet that there was little in the world that could intimidate Agatha. "I warn you, stop meddling in Lance's life. The Elders are onto you and your schemes to keep him away from the Clan."

Agatha raised an eyebrow and smiled sardonically, "what Lance chooses to do all comes from him. I wonder at you and your Clan, you all seem to think that I have something to do with Lance's refusal to come back and lead your little cult."

Clair's eyes flashed at the insult and Ash wondered if he should brave stepping in between the two women. Agatha finally took a step back and was able to fully look Clair in the eyes, "I understand that behind your cruelty is an effort to help Lance, however understand me. You are in my domain, my home and I will not have you disrupting it. If I see or hear of any more of this behaviour you will be exiled from the Plateau until I say otherwise."

Clair's mouth dropped open, "you can't-"

"Master Ash," Agatha spoke over Clair "do join me for a walk around the Plateau, I have something I would like to discuss with you regarding the safety of the area." With that, Agatha strode off towards the entrance effectively ending the conversation, leaving Clair gaping in her wake and Ash trying not to look as impressed as he felt.

"I'll um – see you later." Ash smiled and patted Clair on the shoulder before quickly heading off to join Agatha; he suspected she wasn't in a patient mood.

He found her waiting in front of the gates and made his way over to her, they were silent for a bit before Ash couldn't help but laugh, "nicely done."

Agatha smirked, "thank you – although she did have a point." Ash raised his eyebrows in question and Agatha sighed "Lance may be one of the most powerful trainers of his age – maybe even stronger than those that have come before him, but when it comes to women he is absolutely hopeless."

Ash laughed loudly, Agatha's resigned tone in regards to the situation probably spoke volumes of how stubborn Lance could be. "It's true – but I don't think Lance would try anything. He knows that Jasmine is engaged to Falkner and would never do anything to jeopardize that."

"He wouldn't," Agatha agreed "but Clair would and it could severely damage Lance's standing within the League."

Ash mused as they started walking around the Plateau grounds, "I have a feeling that this 'safety' talk has little to do with the Plateau and more to do with Lance."

Agatha side-eyed him, "you're a lot quicker to catch on than I first thought."

Ash scoffed and shook his head before getting back to the subject at hand, "you seem to know a lot about Clair and the Blackthorn Clan as well." Ash paused and waited for confirmation from Agatha who just kept walking, "you also make your dislike for the Clan's and the Elders obvious. Much like Lance, it makes me wonder if you have had some influence on Lance in some way."

At that Agatha stopped and turned to look at Ash directly who spoke again voicing his concerns, "both you and Lance – in fact most of the League's don't like the Clan's or the Elders-"

"My dislike of Clan's and the Elders doesn't not stem towards others." Agatha clarified and Ash took a moment to process that while Agatha continued on walking.

"So, it's only the Blackthorn Clan that you have an issue with?" Ash asked when he finally caught up to her.

Agatha pointed over to a seat underneath a large Beech tree and they made their way there to sit down, "many trainers – especially those within the League don't like Clan's and Elders because they are of a different time." Agatha explained, "there was once a time where being a part of a Clan and making your way up to being an Elder of that Clan was something to be revered. Back then, only Clan members were able to use Pokémon for battles, Elder status didn't necessarily reflect one's age either – it only reflected your strength as a trainer. It was the highest pinnacle one could achieve.

"Until the League came into play?" Ash asked trying to piece together Agatha's history lesson.

Agatha nodded "the League came into existence because many people were being found hurt due to their lack of knowledge regarding Pokémon and walking between cities and towns was becoming dangerous. The League was created by Elders of different Clan's – the few that believed Pokémon were not just tools meant to be used for Clan's to gain prestige and power. Of course there were those that disagreed with this notion."

"Blackthorn," Ash said beginning to fully grasp what Agatha was getting at.

"While they had been offered a seat within the Plateau, they had rejected it, which many did and it's why there are only the Elite 'Four.'"

"Wait – you're telling me that only four Clan's accepted the League?" Ash asked surprised and Agatha nodded again.

"Yes, you have to understand that back then Clan's were much more prosperous than they are now, in fact only a few exist now and still operate much like they did then. Blackthorn is one of them."

"Hold on," Ash interrupted, "if Blackthorn is so 'anti-League' then why is it that Lance was even allowed to compete?"

"Because he ran away," Agatha revealed gently and Ash just stared at her. "It's a part of Lance's life that very few know about – one that the Blackthorn Clan has kept hidden, especially since he was the Champion of Kanto then – a very impressive title." Agatha said with a hint of bitterness.

"So he ran away – became the Champion and now…they want him back?" Ash offered out rather confused.

"Essentially yes, they allowed Lance back into the fold once he had become the Champion, while they don't like the League they understood it was the way of the future, and the Blackthorn is nothing if not adaptable, it's why they have existed for so long. With Lance as Champion it meant they had a foot-hold, a very big foot into the League and through Lance-"

"They could change all the rules!" Ash finished for her, "change things back to the way they were?"

"Indeed, however they met four other obstacles." Agatha let out a rather catty grin, "most of the general public don't know the rules around the Elite Four and it's kept secret for reasons such as this. When the Blackthorn Clan tried to infiltrate through Lance, they found that in place a rule that stated unless all the Elite Four, including Lance agreed against something, they couldn't change anything."

"Let me guess, you refused?" Ash said with a smile on his face.

Agatha let out a cackle and Ash laughed brightly, "well I guess that explains why the Clan doesn't like you." He sobered up, "but why do they want him back? I mean surely they can see that their Clan is still highly regarded – Lance isn't call the 'Dragon Master' for no reason, everyone knows the Blackthorn Clan is the 'go-to' regarding Dragon Pokémon, mostly because of Lance."

Agatha let out another sigh, "when they first tried to get into the League it failed, so now they are trying a different approach. They figure if they can get more than one member of the Blackthorn Clan into the Elite Four, then they can change the rules."

Ash furrowed his brow "and Lance?"

"Lance is one of kind," Agatha spoke fondly; "there is no-one like him and I think that other than you, there is no one as good with Pokémon. You two have some uncanny ability to bring out the best in any Pokémon you come across. "Ash flushed lightly at her praise, "many trainers from the Blackthorn Clan have come to challenge the Elite Four but none have made it past the semi-finals. I believe they would like Lance to come back, not only to 'lead' the Clan, but to also train others and Pokémon alike."

Ash frowned, "so what you are telling me is that if Lance goes back to his Clan, he will become the leader of a factory of sorts?"

Agatha nodded, "Lance has a good head on his shoulders and yes, while I have influenced him which the Blackthorn Clan knows and resents me for immensely, there is only so much I can do. Dragon's are in his blood, the Clan is a huge part of him and I can't help but fear if he does ever go back home to stay. Every time I hear of him being in Blackthorn, I wonder if I will ever see him again."

Ash sighed, "he seemed pretty adamant in refusing to talk about the Clan and the Elders with Clair, he's also a nomad. He hates staying in one place-"

"You two seem to have that in common." Agatha interrupted drily.

" – even if he did go back to lead the Clan," Ash continued with a grin at Agatha statement, "I doubt that he would always be there and like you said, he has a good head on his shoulders. He loves the League, he wouldn't do anything to damage the system. Besides, who would he give up the title to? Currently the only person able to take on his role is me, he can't leave the title without giving it away and since I won't take it, he's got that position till either I say otherwise or someone else beats him."

"It's possible" Agatha returned, "someone out there could beat both of you and then where would we be? Especially if Blackthorn got their way and had a member on each seat of the Elite Four."

"They would still need the Champion's consent."

"And if the Champion isn't you or Lance? If this person can be easily manipulated?"

Ash sighed, "then we'll deal with it when it gets to that, currently we have a bigger problem." Ash jerked his thumb behind him toward Victory Road.

Agatha eyed him, "yes… the Summit. I trust you examined the pictures in great detail last night."

Ash opened his mouth and then shut it so fast his teeth clicked together, he knew he looked panicked, he couldn't help it. He turned to look at her with complete shock covering his face; he was running blank and couldn't find any words to say to get him out of the mess he was in.

Agatha let out a chuckle, "I know about everything that goes on under my roof young man, everything. Never think otherwise."

Taking her chuckle as one of slight approval of his and Lance's actions, Ash appraised her and couldn't help but be impressed, "does Lance know?"

She snorted, "he thinks he's sly and can keep things from me, but I always know."

Ash let out a chuckle, "what's going to happen to me?" He asked dreading the answer. Agatha remained as imperious as ever, "that depends on how well you answer my next question."

Ash braced himself and met her steely gaze, "what is Lance's plan?"

At her question Ash let out a whoosh of breath and rubbed a hand over his face. Agatha remained silent as he wrestled over what to do. He knew he should tell her, she already knew that Lance and he had broken many of the League rules and they could be forbidden from battling ever again, let alone training any Pokémon.

However, in telling Agatha he was breaking his promise to Lance. He didn't like breaking promises that he made, trust was important to him – and very important to Lance. Then again, Lance obviously continuously lied to Agatha; it was slightly hypocritical on his behalf.

Ash leant forward from the seat and braced his elbows on his knees, "Lance wants me to lead a team into Victory Road. He wants to get in there and get answers directly from what we believe is to be the source. "

"What makes you think Victory Road is the source?" Agatha asked sharply.

"It's where Pokémon were first found in this state-"Ash started but was cut off quickly by Agatha.

"That doesn't mean it originated from Victory Road."

"No, it doesn't – but Brock-"

"Brock? Who else knows about all of this?" She asked commandingly.

"I thought you knew everything that goes on in your domain?" Ash asked, frustrated from being interrupted again.

The two glared at each other for a moment, "I can have you thrown out very easily Ketchum," Agatha growled at him. It was the first time in a while where she hadn't called him 'Master' showing just how angry she was.

"Yeah, I get that" Ash spoke firmly, "but if you keep interrupting me then we will never get anywhere."

Agatha's lip curled and after a moment she gestured for him to continue.

"Thank you, Brock thinks that because of the runes starting off so rudimentary – like the ones on the Graveller found in Victory Road, that it's our best bet. Looking at the pictures, the later they are show that the runes become more complex and more like a symbol rather than just funny shaped lines. Arcanine aren't found anywhere near Victory Road."

"So what, you lead a team of…?"

"Whomever I want."

"Whomever you want?" Agatha asked with mock surprise, "well how gracious of us, so you and whomever go into Victory Road...and then what?"

"We do our best to figure out what is happening."

Agatha raised her eyebrow "and if there is nothing?"

Ash shrugged, "then we come back out, no harm no foul."

"And if you happen to run into…something?"

Ash paused, "to be honest I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead. I haven't even told Lance if I am going to go."

Agatha looked at him sharply and he nodded, "I've see the pictures Agatha. I've seen the torso, I know what is happening and I'm not an idiot. I'm not going to blindly say yes at the risk of mine, my Pokémon and other's lives."

Ash stood up and stretched, "it's not an easy decision to make. I haven't really had time to think about it. I've been trying to find Cynthia-" Ash stopped and turned back around to look at Agatha while smiling sheepishly.

"She is already well aware of what is happening. It's probably why you can't find her," Agatha announced and Ash gaped at her while feeling a white-hot fury rise within him "what? She already knows? You told her? Then what was all this about Brock and me not being able to know?"

"Because I can trust Cynthia not to tell anyone else other than whom I ask her to, you on the other hand obviously tell this Brock," she almost spat the name out "everything and then who knows who he would then tell."

"He hasn't and won't tell anyone anything." Ash said heatedly in defense of his friend. "I trust him!"

"But I don't!" Agatha said with finality, the two had a stare down until eventually Ash broke off with a frustrated grunt.

"He and I haven't told anyone else and we weren't planning to."

"Your other companion?" Agatha asked lightly.

Ash shook his head in the negative, "no – Dawn doesn't know anything. She talks too much." Agatha let out a snigger while Ash sat back down.

The two were silent for a bit, "I suppose that now you don't have to tell Cynthia about your 'plan,' all you have left to think of is whether or not you will do as Lance has requested of you." Agatha said softly which Ash didn't reply to.

"If it helps, I think it's a good idea."

Ash let out a hollow laugh, "do you?" He asked bitterly, "I suppose anyone would, as long as it's not them risking their own Pokémon and their necks."

Ash felt a hard whap at the back of his head and his hat fell off at the impact, "argh!" Ash raised his hand to rub at his head and turned to stare at Agatha in surprise.

She was staring at him angrily, "I'll have you know that if I was any younger and my legs could make it through Victory Road, I would have been one of the first to volunteer!"

Ash sat up against the backrest of the chair, "yeah? Then why is it when Lance volunteered to go by himself you wouldn't let him go? Why is it so okay for me to go and not him?"

"Because Lance will get himself killed!" Agatha shouted at him, "he is reckless where you are not."

Ash scoffed and gave her a look as if to say 'yeah, right!'

Agatha looked away from him and breathed in deeply to calm herself, "there are different kinds of recklessness, sometimes I wonder if Lance even values his own life. Lance did not hesitate in his wish to send himself in and if something went wrong, he would be the first to sacrifice himself." She looked back at Ash – almost imploringly, "you wouldn't. You would do your best to get out of there with everyone. The fact alone that you are thinking of whether or not you want to go, shows a maturity and a caution in you that Lance does not have. That is what we need and it's something that Lance will never be able to understand."

Ash could agree with her there, she was right regarding Lance and he wasn't sure she had it right about him. But Ash had pretty much already made up his mind, if he didn't go then Lance would and who knew what would happen then.

Agatha stood up from the bench planning to go, "I will admit that I have just and will continue to use emotional manipulation on you if I must. I cannot think of anyone better to go in these circumstances." To her credit, Agatha looked as staunch as ever, she was the heart and soul of the League and would do anything to protect its future, Ash respected her honesty more than anything.

"When you decide, please let me know. If it's yes, then I will help Lance in what I think he will try to accomplish at the Summit, if not... then I will do my best to cease in making you feel worse about yourself."

Ash smiled tiredly at her, appreciating her frankness. She had just turned around when he spoke up, "I'll go, but there are two deal breakers. Two conditions and if they don't happen I'm out."

Agatha turned back and raised an eyebrow, "one-" Ash started "is that you allow my Mother here, I want her safe in the Plateau being treated like a queen and protected under all circumstances."

Not once had Agatha ever wished for children, but from hearing that she knew that Delia Ketchum was one of the good ones - also a lucky one.

She did her best to maintain her steely façade "and the second?"

"Is my first granted?"

Agatha couldn't help but grin at that, he was playing hardball and Agatha didn't blame him, she relished it. "Granted," she said with a nod, "your second?"

"When I go into Victory Road - with a team of my choosing, Lance will not be part of that team."

* * *

End chapter.

Okay, so again – another long chapter. Sorry it took me so long to get out – I was having a brain meltdown in which direction to take this. (Yes, I know I said I planned, but all it takes it one scene popping up in your head to completely change your mind!) Lot of theories popping up in reviews – are they right or not remains to be seen.

Hope you enjoyed the mini-history in there that yes- I did make it up.

Also Agatha being the boss that she is – again, I love writing her and I find her fabulous and fierce.

To those who like Jasmine and Lance – hope you enjoyed their little 'moment,' and for those that couldn't care less, are sort of on the fence, or are frustrated by the lack of Ash and Misty – well it's coming.

Someone has mentioned something in a review , so it's changed my direction of where I was taking them, or at least some things that I was going to reveal later are coming earlier, etc. Nothing major has changed don't worry! But some basic common sense was knocked into me – sense that I NEEDED. So thank you!

I'm kind of hoping I can 'shock' you all when the time comes, or at least get some good reactions in reviews. But I am also really glad that you guys are interested enough to keep guessing and to keep reading – my story stats are fascinating, and a HUGE thank you to all that have 'favorited' / alerted the story and have reviewed so far. I really appreciate it

As for cameos – soon, next chapter is the Summit after all, so please forgive me if the chapter is a little later than usual. I usually try updating a week and a bit – or two weeks after I last posted. This may take a little longer as there are a lot of character views and voices to get out! Thank you in advance for your patience!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know what you think. If you don't want to review – then you can always PM as well.


	7. Chapter 7 (The Summit, Part 1)

**Chapter 7**

* * *

They day of the Summit was a nice one, the sky was a bright blue and the sun was shining brightly. It almost seemed a shame that they would all be cooped up in one room debating what to do regarding the current events.

There was a high tension in the air, it had been growing steadily since Ash had arrived and today it had reached its peak. People were mulling around everywhere, hardly talking and just seemed to be waiting. They were all waiting for the sound of the horn; it would indicate that it was time for them to start walking downstairs.

The summit was being held below ground, in a large room that Ash was sure used to be an arena. In the centre of the room would sit the Kanto Elite Four and around them in the 'stands' would everyone else sit. There was a seating chart apparently and Ash had only made one request to Lance regarding it – the Dragon Master had snorted at him and gave him 'do-I-look-stupid-to-you?" look.

They had been separated by what they were – Trainers, Breeders and Coordinators all sat together, while Gym Leaders sat with other region's Elite Four. The Professors, Researchers and Watchers also all sat together; each group would be given two microphones that were to be passed around to avoid everyone talking over one another. When someone had something to say there was a button on each chair, the face of who was talking, but also the list of who was to talk next would pop up on the big screen when someone pressed their button.

There would be 10 minute intervals where the groups could break off and talk to one another to come up with ideas and arguments against others. There was to be an hour lunch break at midday and it would finish at six – only to have the process repeated the next day if nothing was resolved. Ash had a feeling that they only needed the one day – unless the majority vote was different than what he anticipated.

He, Brock and Dawn were outside at Dawn's request and were laying out on the grass and soaking in the warm sunlight. Pikachu was dozing lightly while lying on Ash's stomach, his ears twitching every now and again. The group had finished breakfast about fifteen minutes ago and they were waiting for the alarm to go off ten to nine.

Most people were inside and there were a lot of people standing around the entrance hall, near the stairs to below ground. It was the quietest that the Plateau had been since they had arrived there, Dawn wasn't talking much, she had asked what was going to happen in the Summit the night before and Brock and Ash had explained it best they could, even though not having experienced one for themselves.

She had been cheerful in the morning, but Ash knew that she was nervous and slightly worried. While she was good, confident and through Ash and her own warm personality she knew a lot of people, Dawn was still out of her depth in this. Ash knew she would be disappointed that she wouldn't be joining him in Victory Road, but he wouldn't drag her into something of this nature.

He had been contemplating over who he would bring with him through Victory Road – Brock had already agreed before Ash had even asked him, Ash had asked him just to be sure and the answer had still been the same.

He wasn't taking Lance with him – which the Dragon Master didn't know yet and Ash looked forward to getting that weight off his shoulders when he finally did let his friend know. Lance probably wouldn't take it well, Ash was anticipating a black eye in his near future.

He knew another that he wanted to take – Tracey. As a Watcher and now as a Junior Researcher, his friend had a lot of experience, eagle eyes and he could draw extremely well, which would come in useful if anyone saw anything. Besides, Tracey was there on Shamouti with him.

Arguably his first encounter with Legendary Pokémon other than brief glimpses of Ho-oh in the sky, Tracey would vaguely know what to expect when it came to the danger factor.

Having in mind the two males plus himself, he decided that he needed a female to balance it out. His first thought had been of Misty; however there was no doubt in his mind that she wouldn't agree to go. They still had to confront the issues between them and on a potentially fatal mission in the middle of Victory Road, was not the time or place.

Besides – they weren't really 'anything', their relationship or lack thereof had no title, no distinction to it. She didn't owe him anything; there was no reason for her to risk her life and her Pokémon just because he asked it of her.

Dawn was out, as much as Ash respected her and believed in her abilities this wasn't something he wanted her to participate in. She was still young, one of the youngest at the Summit and while she had been on adventures with Ash, he doubted that they could compare to this.

He had thought of calling up May – but it probably meant waiting another week for her to get in from wherever she was and again, she was a Coordinator more than a Trainer. He didn't need the strengths of a Coordinator for this.

He had also thought about Cynthia, she would be video conferencing in with her Grandparents – the Elders of Celestic town, she could probably get here quicker than May and was the Champion of Sinnoh. After Lance and himself, she was arguably one of the strongest trainers in existence and also knew a great deal about Pokémon legends.

She was also level-headed and could remain calm under pressure, Agatha trusted her and even Lance listened to her on occasion.

Before he could ponder any more on the structure of his prospective team, the alarm for the walk-down sounded.

Dawn was up on her feet like a shot, Brock was slower and just sat up from his lying position. Ash stayed how he was and Pikachu not feeling his Master move, also stayed contently on Ash's stomach. Dawn called his name impatiently and he smiled, "slow it down Dawn – we have time."

She gaped at him and then at Brock who just grinned and shrugged, she huffed and stamped her foot before coming over to him. She blocked his sun briefly and then bent down to grab his hand, the intention to pull him up and if that failed, drag him to the doors of the Plateau was obvious.

Ash slowly stood up and moved out of her reach, "Dawn, we have time, and it won't matter about seats – remember we already know where we are sitting."

"But I like going in early, I want to see who is actually here and if we get in early we can sit and watch people come in!" Brock and Ash shared an amused look while Dawn just turned on her heel and marched off, "I'll see you inside!" She shouted back to them.

Ash debated whether or not he should lie back down, part of him hesitated because once he was in, that was it, the Summit would start and there would be no way out for his choice. He had already let Lance know that he would be going and the look of gratitude that his friend had given him was crushing. He didn't like what he was going to do to Lance, arguably a massive stab in the back.

Agatha had assured him that once Lance understood his reasons, his friend would forgive him. He would understand. Ash wasn't quite sure, he had sound reasons for not wanting Lance to go – things that to made sense to him and were backed up by Brock and Agatha. However, Ash going into Victory Road was Lance's idea, and Lance wasn't someone who enjoyed sitting around idly and waiting – which essentially was what he would be doing, waiting to see if and when Ash would come back out of Victory Road.

"We should probably go in; the second warning bell has just gone off." Brock spoke gently, Ash was grateful that Brock said nothing else; he grabbed his hoodie from the ground as he had been using it as a pillow. He shook off the grass and threw it on, while it was nice and warm outside it would probably be chillier underground.

The two were some of the last to go down the stairs; Ash was surprised to see Lance at the door watching everyone go in. His face relaxed when he saw Ash on the entrance landing, "thought I wasn't coming?" Ash teased gently while at the doorway.

Lance scoffed and pushed him through while counting out loud, "96 – 97."

"Quite a number," Brock whispered into his ear and Ash nodded while taking in the large room. The bright blue screen was directly opposite on the other side of the room waiting to be used.

He was standing behind where the Gym Leaders and Elite Four were sitting, on the left and around a bit was the Professor and Researcher seats. Ash would sit around on the right side with his designated group, so he made his way over there. Dawn was waving to them from their seats, they were sitting in the second row, the two excused themselves as people stood up to let them pass and get to their seats.

"About time!" Dawn said and handed Ash a microphone.

"Don't give that to me!" Ash said aghast and held the device like it was diseased.

He quickly threw it to Brock who caught it, "what am I going to do with it?" Brock asked offering it back to Ash who shoved his hands into his pockets.

"I don't know, and I don't care – if I have something to say I'll press the button. Until then, I don't want to see hide of hair of – ah!" There was a heavy jolt from the back of Ash's chair that had him lurching forward briefly, he turned around to see what had happened and then stopped. "Wha – Paul?"

The purple-haired young man was grinning and had his arms crossed, Ash let out a grin and moved his body around so he could offer a handshake, which his one-time rival took. "How long have you been here?" Ash asked surprised, "If I had known you were here," Ash started apologetically but Paul shook his head with a smile.

"It's alright – I've been here for a week, I arrived a few days before you did. I figured that you would probably be busy seeing everyone, so I waited and well – why waste this opportunity?" Paul asked and motioned with his feet again while Ash scoffed.

Brock and Paul shook hands while Dawn resolutely stared ahead, "not going to say 'hello' Dawn?" Paul asked sounding bored, Brock and Ash turned to look at her and while it made her blush, she didn't turn around.

"Hi," she said shortly and Paul smirked while Ash and Brock threw querying looks his way. Before they could ask what was going on, the lights dimmed and in the center of the arena a large tower starting rising. The entire room hushed and bright spotlights beamed into the tower, a top of which sat the Kanto Elite Four sitting around a large table.

The screen flickered on and the faces of Lance, Agatha, Bruno and Lorelei came into view, eventually the tower came to a halt and the room went into complete silence. There was a brief pause before Agatha stood up to address the crowd.

"Welcome everyone, to the third Pokémon Summit held on this day…"

As Agatha continued on with her welcoming speech and general housekeeping, Ash let his eyes wander around the stadium. He recognized all of the Gym Leaders and members of the Elite Four; they comprised the biggest group while the Professor's was the smallest.

Ash hadn't really had a look at who was here regarding Trainers and the like, he assumed that winners from the past were here and he had met many during the first few days he had arrived at the Plateau, most he had avoided after they had suggested a battle when he was better rested.

"…If anyone wishes to leave, now is your only time to do so. You have all been updated upon the rules and regulations and what follows. What to expect however, is entirely up to your imagination. Let it be understood that we are not here for a celebration, this is serious and what is about to said in this room cannot leave the Indigo Plateau. If anyone is found leaking this information they will banned from ever training or researching about Pokémon ever again."

There was silence again as Agatha finished speaking, she waited for a good minute to see if anyone was going to leave. When no- one made a move to leave, Agatha nodded briefly and sat back down in her stool, Lance stood up in her place and addressed the large group, "the reason we have called you here today is because we, the Kanto Elite Four, are in a situation that we cannot fix by ourselves."

"Most of the Professors know exactly why we are all here as we have previously asked for their council, we have also addressed prominent Doctors and Nurses all around the Kanto and outlying regions. No information or immediate plans to fix this issue have come to light, thus here you all are."

Lance cleared his throat "we ask, not only for your patience but for your compassion, ideas and any possible shred of information you may have in light of what is happening."

"C'mon get to the point," a touchy trainer in front of Ash murmured. Many around him nodded with him, but Ash noted they were all listening intently and none were daring to interrupt Lance. He turned to Brock who had raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to shoot Ash a look that said 'what-an-idiot.'

"Please direct your attention to the screen," Lance gestured behind him as the screen flicked twice and switched from a close-up of his face to what Ash recognized as one of the Graveler he had seen a few days before.

"What you are looking at is a dead Graveler found on the outskirts of Victory Road. While this is nothing out of the ordinary – if we zoom in…"

Lance pressed a few buttons on the table in front of him and it the screen zoomed in to show a few very fine white lines. "Originally we thought these were nothing; however further evidence, as you are about to see, showed that these fine lines here and here, are the beginning of something much more deadly and disturbing. "

Lance tapped another button on his screen, this time it was the other photo of a Graveler that Ash had seen, this time there were a few intakes of breath from the crowd. Lance stayed silent for a moment, allowing everyone to take in what was being displayed, "this is a week later – found around the same area, whatever is happening to the Pokémon has become more evident. "

Lance turned the slide off and the screen went blank, "the next series of pictures are extremely graphic and not for the faint of heart. If you find you cannot handle it we urge you to look away and we will inform you when the pictures are no longer in view. For those that do have the stomach to watch, these pictures are shown in a time period, you will notice as we go on – the original lines become deeper gouges and then eventually become more detailed. We have, with the Professor's help, likened them to an ancient sort of writing. Runes or symbols of a sort, if you have seen these before or have any possible information that you believe may help, please interrupt using the red button on your chair."

Lance paused again and then pressed the button. The minor uproar was exactly what Ash had been expecting, gasps, shrieks and yell's of "oh my gosh" were abundant. The impatient trainer in front of Ash had turned his head away and Dawn had buried her face into Brock's chest and he was giving her a one-armed hug and was looking away himself. Ash turned his head when Paul tapped him on the shoulder, "it's a bit of a jump isn't it?" He asked nodding to the pictures and Ash furrowed his brow, "what do you mean?"

Paul shrugged and whispered, "I mean, you go from a dead Graveler with just deep gouges, to a dead Zubat with that scratched into its organs. It just seems like there is a rather big gap in the timeline if you ask me."

Ash nodded and turned back to the screen, the photos that were being shown were the same one's that Lance had shown him a few nights ago, being too shocked by what he was seeing and by what Lance had told him, he hadn't thought about possible discrepancies. He had trusted Lance when he had said there was nothing else, he believed him – like Lance currently believed that Ash would bring him on his journey through Victory Road.

He mulled over it while Lance got to the last picture – the one of the Arcanine. The initial shock had worn off and now the room was just silent, there was an anxious tension in the room as the slide of the once magnificent creature left the screen.

Lance's face appeared once again on the screen looking grim and he notified everyone that they slideshow was over. There were a few whispers around as people discussed what they had just witnessed, the Kanto Elite Four gave the entire group fifteen minutes until Bruno stood up to address the crowd.

"As you have just seen, time is not on our side. The Arcanine was the last Pokémon that we have found-"

Bruno stopped speaking as an alert popped up on screen and the face of a Trainer popped up, Bruno nodded to the young woman in acknowledgement that she would be speaking next, and one of the microphones was passed over to her in anticipation.

"The Arcanine was the last Pokémon that we found and as you are no doubt all aware," Bruno continued, "Arcanine are not found near Victory Road – where we believe this has originated from."

More alerts went up as more people touched their red buttons asking more questions. "The Pokémon found have all behaved erratically and are the ones carving these symbols into their bodies with anything sharp they can find. How the Graveler managed it, we do not know. We know the Pokémon have been doing this to themselves because have video footage of the Arcanine scratching itself and behaving strangely, not eating and not reacting to being called. The only way it would sleep would be through inducement of anaesthesia."

Bruno stopped speaking and gestured to the first woman who pressed her button, flustered at having all the attention, the woman stood and Ash could see her hands shaking nervously, "I –is there any evidence to suggest that whatever is happening to these Pokémon here in Kanto, is also happening in other regions?"

Bruno shook his head, "as far as we know of no – unless the Professors or other members of the Elite Four wish to correct my answer?"

The screen panned around the other region's Elite and the Professor's, all of whom were either shaking their heads or had said no into a microphone. Bruno nodded at their answer and turned back to the trainer "No – there is not, however this…plague of sorts is moving. So, what you are suggesting could happen and it is something we would sincerely wish to avoid."

Satisfied, the trainer quickly sat down and tried to bury herself in her chair. Ash tried not to grin at her antics; her question was very valid and brought up some brand new ones as well. He pushed his button.

Brock looked at him surprised and Ash noticed that Lance sent a frown his way. The questions from other people continued and all were those that Ash had asked Lance when had first found out about what was happening.

Volkner, the Gym Leader from Sunyshore City stood up, "what makes you think that this…whatever it is… has originated from Victory Road?"

Ash drew in a deep breath quietly, it was something he and Brock had heavily debated and there was still no clear answer to it. It would be an angle that would be hard to play and it would be where Lance would need to be careful as far as convincing others that sending him into Victory Road would be potentially advantageous to them.

To Ash's surprise, it was Agatha who stood up to address Volkner's question, "we don't know if it has – all we know is that the majority of Pokémon found have been Pokémon commonly seen in Victory Road and their corpses found near the area." Agatha paused for a moment and Ash knew she was considering whether or not to display the image of the torso. "We have more images; however they are not of Pokémon."

Agatha's voice was stilted, "we debated whether or not to show you the image – as it is incredibly disturbing and there are some young trainers here." Volkner sat back down as Agatha continued her explanation, "after the Zubat had been found we made the decision to send in some of the Plateau's messengers to see what possibly could be happening. Two weeks after that, we found the Arcanine and still none of the messengers we had sent had come back and we couldn't get in contact with any of them. The Kanto Elite four held a meeting and partway through we were interrupted from the front gates, one of our messengers had finally returned from Victory Road."

Agatha moved her hands to the buttons that Lance had been pressing before and Ash nudged Brock who nodded and leaned down to whisper to Dawn. Ash looked at Lance who was looking rather shocked at Agatha's actions – as was the rest of the Elite Four, however none of them were stopping her.

"Again, this is extremely graphic. To be specific – a mutilated human corpse of one of the aforementioned messengers, this is how he came back." Agatha pressed the button and the dreaded torso came up on the screen, Ash looked around to see the varying reactions. After a few of the initial shrieks, people were much quieter as though they couldn't really believe what they were looking at. Many people – looked away, others seemed almost mesmerized.

Once the image on the screen flickered off the room went silent. There was a ten minute interval here, but no-one seemed to want to say anything to one another, Ash was next up to speak and while his question was out of the current relevancy, it would bring up some more questions, some that Ash should have asked a few nights ago before agreeing to Lance's request.

Ash didn't bother standing and accepted the proffered microphone from Brock next to him, "just rewinding slightly and building up what Yvonne said," the shy female trainer behind him blushed again at his mention of her, "there is no evidence to suggest that this… illness isn't spreading and yet an Arcanine was found – not near Victory Road?"

Lance was frowning at him, wondering where he was taking this and Agatha answered his question, "no, it was not found near Victory Road."

Ash nodded, "Arcanine evolve from Growlithe only with a Fire Stone as far as we are aware, which would mean finding an Arcanine in the wild is very rare." The entire room was silent as slowly he noticed a few people's eyes widen as they got where he was going. "What if this Arcanine was infected in Victory Road, but then due to its behaviour - was abandoned by its trainer wherever it was found?"

Ash let that sink in as many people finally started talking in between themselves, he passed the microphone back to Brock who passed the microphone back over his shoulder and leant in to whisper, "that's a good point."

Ash grinned, "no need to be so surprised" and leant away; Lance sent him a surreptitious thumbs-up. Ash looked over to the Professors and wasn't surprised to see most of them engaged in conversation. Professor Oak and Gary were both looking at him. Gary was appraising him and Professor Oak was smiling.

The Professor was arguably his biggest challenge in terms of getting into Victory Road, Oak was a good debater and was always calm and argued sound and justifiable reasons for doing or not doing something. He usually always managed to get people to follow and understand his point of view. It was why very few people knew that Oak was the reason Ash hadn't entered into Kanto yet, it wouldn't matter about the unfairness of it all. Oak held a very high standing in the Pokémon world and if he didn't want Ash to challenge Kanto, then almost no-one would nay-say him.

An alert on the big screen popped up and Professor Rowan's face came into view, he took the microphone offered to him from Professor Oak and stood up. "What Master Ketchum has just asked is very valid and brings up several other worries – one being that if this is true, it means that rumors could surface and panic could set in. We need to find out if what Master Ketchum has suggested is indeed true, we also need a plan to accommodate that. If people are experiencing this, or have experienced this with their Pokémon we need to find them."

Professor Rowan sat back down and Lance stood up, "essentially, what Professor Rowan is getting at, is that we need more information – which is why you are all here. Since no-one has come forward with any here, we have decided to reach out further." He gestured to the screen again and a large clock turned on. It read that it was ten to twelve, "we will be having a short break and will reconvene at one pm, at which we will all be video conferencing with Cynthia, Champion of Sinnoh. She has graciously ventured out of the Indigo Plateau to visit the Elders of Celestic Town.

Murmurs struck up again, there was no love lost between the League and the Elders and most people knew that to an extent. The mini history lesson that Agatha had given Ash the day before, information that Ash reckoned few people knew about. There was an understanding that the Elders didn't particularly like the League's, however due to their declining popularity and unbending, exclusive rules, they had no choice but to conform.

After so many years, it would no doubt be a bitter pill to swallow. Ash had met the Elders of Celestic town; they were Cynthia's grandparents and were very on-board with the League as a whole, especially since their granddaughter was the Sinnoh Champion. They had been very accommodating to him upon his arrival at their home and had treated him as they would any other, which he appreciated. They were also well versed in the History of many of the regions – Sinnoh in particular, but Ash supposed it was better asking the Elders than not doing anything.

While Ash had great respect for Cynthia's grandparents and did believe that they wouldn't do anything to harm the League, there was an undercurrent of doubt within him. He couldn't help but wonder if the Elders of other towns would use this information to damage the League's reputation.

Ash was jolted out of his thoughts as people around him started to move, people were exiting the underground arena to head to the dining area for lunch, "could we eat outside?" Dawn asked, her voice was a little shaky and her eyes were slightly red. Brock wrapped his arm around her as the group shuffled out of the doors towards the entrance hall, "sure thing, why don't you go find the sunniest spot and we'll get your lunch, what do you fancy?"

Dawn sent them both a grateful smile and told them what she wanted before heading out the doors, Brock and Ash joined the long line and quietly waited. "Lot of theories going around," Paul spoke as he came up behind them in the line.

"Anything interesting?" Brock asked as they moved forward slightly in the line, Paul shook his head and pointed over to where two trainers stood, "nothing really of substance. Those two reckon it's something to do with Team Rocket."

Ash and Brock both snorted, Team Rocket had been disbanded years ago and Jessie, James and Meowth had stopped following him everywhere once he had started his winning streak. The last Ash had heard was that Jessie was competing in Contests around the Sinnoh region with James and Meowth as her personal cheering squad.

Once the three had their trays piled high with food, the three men headed outside to find Dawn. She had found the sunniest spot and jumped up as the three made their way to her, she quickly took the second tray out of Brock's hands with a "thank you" and sat down to start eating.

The group was silent for a bit before Paul spoke up, "so what do you guys think of all this?" Brock and Ash exchanged glances and Dawn looked up at Paul who continued eating nonchalantly despite his loaded question.

"There's a lot to consider," Brock finally said slowly "First off, how and where all this started. Second, what is it exactly and third, how do we stop it? To be honest, looking at all the information we don't have – I'm surprised a Summit wasn't called sooner."

"And what with the League calling up the Elder's for help - that must sting a bit" Paul added conversationally while munching on his pie. Ash paused for a second wondering how carefully he should tread, fortunately Dawn got their before him.

"What do you mean 'sting?'" she asked curiously, it was the nicest she had been to Paul since he had found them, Ash made a mental note to ask both of them what was going on with that.

"The League and the Elder's don't get along; essentially the Elder's believe that the League usurped their power." Paul said briefly and took a long swig of his water. Dawn raised an eyebrow and turned to Brock for more clarification, "it's been a while, but Pokémon only used to be battled and trained by prominent members of Clans. You know that Lance is a member of the Blackthorn Clan? Well that Clan is specific to Dragon Pokémon and they have specific training methods and tricks for Dragon Pokémon."

Brock paused and munched on some of his side salad, "eventually people became disillusioned by the Clan system, which gave way to the idea of what is now the Pokémon League They didn't believe that one type of Pokémon belonged to one Clan and one Clan only, nor should Pokémon only exist for people with a specific birthright."

"But why would it sting for the League? What you've just said – I mean the League is a lot more influential now than the Elders and Clans, what bad could come out of asking for help – especially when it's something this serious?"

Ash could help but smile, Paul had rolled her eyes at Dawn's question – an action that Dawn caught and she stuck her tongue out at him. "The Clans are traditional," Brock said "they don't like it when something messes with their order."

"But it's been ages!" Dawn argued, "shouldn't they just get over it and try and do their collective best?"

Paul snorted loudly at that, "yes – if only it was that simple. I'm sure no one has ever thought of that before, Dawn." She turned a glare upon him and was about to open her mouth to argue back until the loud alarm sounded.

"Already?" Brock asked bewildered while looking down at his half-eaten food, Ash quickly stuffed the rest of his pie into his mouth and stood up, "something must have happened" he said spraying the ground with flakes of pastry.

"Gross Ash!" Dawn cried and stood up to get away from it. Ash swallowed quickly and ignored the heat of the pie going down his throat, "sorry Dawn – what time is it?"

Paul took out his Pokétch, "12.20" he said "we got out around 10 to 12 and then give us five minutes waiting in line, that's half an hour altogether and 25 minutes to eat."

The alarm sounded again, many people that were sitting outside were slowly picking up their trays and heading back inside, grumbling at the lack of time they had to enjoy their lunch. Their group of four picked up their trays and headed towards the door – Ash saw Agatha waiting by the doors and turned around –almost bumping into Paul.

"Sorry man – I think I dropped something, I'll meet you guys in there." Paul nodded and kept on walking; Ash headed back to where he had been sitting and pretended to look for something. When he was satisfied that everyone had left the area he headed back to the doors where Agatha was still waiting.

"Took your time Master Ketchum." She clucked her tongue twice in disapproval but Ash could see approval in her eyes.

"Sorry, I dropped something." He said while motioning behind him, in a direction that he was sure wasn't anywhere near where he had been siting.

"Must have been important," she said while eyeing his clothing distastefully before reaching out a hand and wiping off some of the blades of grass that stubbornly stuck to the fabric.

"Very," Ash said and once she was satisfied with his appearance she motioned inside. Ash nodded and followed her in, his hands going into the front pockets of his hoodie and clutching the note that she had left there.

* * *

**End Part 1 of the Summit Chapter.**

*Dies*

Okay, I know – overdramatic much? It's not even my longest, but seriously, SUCH A HARD CHAPTER. So many people to think about...the next one is going to be just as difficult – if not more so (albeit - now that I have set it up - it's easier to go from there). Again, I ask for patience.

Yes I will agree, not a lot happens in this chapter, but it does set up a lot and there is some very obvious foreshadowing. In fact – calling it foreshadowing probably isn't correct.

And yes- before anyone lambasts me, I do know that the Bird trio / Lugia WERE NOT the first legendary Pokémon that Ash encountered. First came Ho-Oh, albeit briefly and it's not really an 'encounter' more of a blink-and-you'll-miss-me, but Mewtwo removed Ash's memories of their encounter –ergo in Ash's mind that event does not exist.

**EDIT:** Just been told about Mt Quena! Thanks for letting me know! I'm keeping in this story that Ash doesn't remember Mewtwo for the present, but it's good to get my facts straight and I can reference it later!

Will it be addressed…now that would be spoiling!

Again – many thanks to those that have reviewed, favorited, alerted and continue to do so, it really means a lot.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know what you think.

Redenzione.


	8. Chapter 8 (The Summit, Part 2)

**Chapter 8**

**(Second half of 'Summit' chapter)**

* * *

"Ash? Are you alright? You look awful!" Dawn leaned forward in her seat to see what Brock was talking about and gasped.

Her friend had no colour in his face and looked like he had aged ten years in five minutes. He seemed to be on the verge of either crying or being sick, "oh god – Ash you do look terrible, are you sure you're alright?"

He nodded again, having already said that he was fine to Brock and explained to a worried Dawn and Paul that he was okay - it was probably just something he ate. Ash knew that while Dawn and Paul were possibly placated for now, Brock wasn't.

His friend was staring at him, Dawn had sat back in her chair content with Ash's explanation however, Ash knew that until he looked like himself again she wouldn't be fully satisfied. Paul was a lot shrewder that most people gave him credit for and Ash didn't want to risk giving Brock the note he was currently holding tightly in his fist without him seeing it.

How he wanted to though, the contents turned his stomach and he wondered how Agatha could stand it. When she gave it to him it was like there was nothing out of the ordinary, yet when he had read it he had almost collapsed to the floor. It had taken him about five minutes after reading it to regain full control of legs.

If he hadn't been regretting saying yes to Lance's request, he definitely was now. He let out an involuntary shiver and Brock leaned into him, "must have been some really bad meat."

Ash cringed at Brock's choice of words, "very bad."

Brock nodded absently, "it's funny how you, Paul and I all had the same pie and yet you were the only one affected?"

Ash took in a deep breath, "not really – and I'm sure Paul has come to the same conclusion." It was a non-subtle warning which Brock took and leaned back while speaking loudly, "I told you not to eat that fast, this always happens."

While he could appreciate the humor and Brock's patience, Ash still couldn't smile. He was seriously contemplating running from the Indigo Plateau and never looking back.

People around him were still grumbling about the short lunch break; there was a thrum of curiosity humming and everyone looked as interested as they were worried. Ash looked over to the other side of the room to see that Rowan and Oak were standing away from their seats and separated from everyone else. Ash had no doubt that they probably received a similar note to his, Rowan was whispering furiously and Oak looked about as old as Ash felt.

Ash eyes wandered and saw Gary looking at this grandfather with suspicion; Professor Oak obviously hadn't let Gary in on the loop, a move that surprised Ash. He averted his eyes when Gary began to move back around to face the arena and continued looking around. His eyes caught a sliver of red and he found Misty, she was sitting next to Sabrina and Janine while also looking around the room. When her eyes grazed over his she did a double take and paused for a moment before lifting her hand up to wave hesitantly at him.

Ash lifted a hand back to her and he could see her frowning and mouthing words towards him, he leaned forward slightly and squinted to try and make out what she was saying, she tried to say something again but the lights in the center of the arena lit up and the tower started to rise again.

Ash leaned back with an apologetic gesture and Misty smiled at him before turning her attention to the Kanto Elite Four. Ash noted that Lorelei was looking like him – ill and upset. Agatha and Bruno remained stoic; it was Lance that shocked him the most.

He was sitting down, his hands clenched together and shaking. His face was white and contrasted sharply with his hair making him looking extremely tired and washed out; there was a red mark on his cheek which was forming a bruise of sorts. It looked like had been slapped recently and if Ash had to guess, it probably would have been Lorelei.

Tension's were running high within the Kanto Elite Four it seemed, that meant that Lance was having a hard time convincing them that sending someone into Victory Road was a good idea. With the information he had just received, Ash didn't blame Lorelei for what he assumed was her rejection of the idea, but it was getting to the point where something had to be done.

This latest piece of news was terrifying and there was no immediate fix, something needed to happen or someone needed to do whatever they could do. Ash had felt like this before, when he had been on Shamouti and he had been named as "The Chosen One," he had been all full of youthful vigor and exuberance, nothing could have stopped him.

After a few hours, that enthusiasm to do something good had segued into fear and a loss of what to do entirely. This was different than the other times, all the other times he had faced off against Legendary Pokémon or been drawn into an over-the-top crazy adventure; he hadn't had the time to think. He had just done, done what was expected of him and done what he was thrown into.

Hesitation had rarely been part of his make-up; however it had been a while since something of that nature had happened. A few times he wondered if Arceus had anything to do with that, if the Pokémon was looking over him in some way.

This time it was different and it wasn't just him being older. It was the high risk factor; it was the 'plan factor.' More often than not, in these circumstances Ash would willingly admit that luck had played a huge part in his adventures, sometimes he would think back and laugh to himself about what had happened and how he had managed to get out of the messes he'd been in.

He was to lead people this time, it wasn't just his own life he was responsible for and more people would be watching him. The other times it had just been him and his companions, with the occasional friend met along during the journey. None of them had ever questioned his actions, his intent to do good or his decision making.

He was potentially going to be responsible for the lives of so many precious people and Pokémon, he would have advice and demands from every corner, and he would have to think of the consequences to his actions and the outcome of the League.

He was inherently saying yes to Lance's request because to him it was the right thing to do. If he could help people in some way, sometimes the risk didn't even factor into the equation for him. However, in this case 'doing the right thing' wasn't all that was happening, there was a very real case of his entire life being turned upside down.

He was used to not knowing what to expect, going into something prepared was more alarming for him that it should have been. After what he had been through and some of the amazing things he had seen and done in his life, Ash should have felt more confident than he was.

Agatha stood up again to address the crowd, "thank you for all arriving here so quickly. We apologize for the extremely short lunch break, however due to certain circumstances we decided that we do not have any time to waste."

She cleared her throat, "the reason for the shortness of your break was due to some highly disturbing news we received from the Tohjo Falls entrance to Victory Road."

Ash could see Brock looking at him from out of his periphery and gently moved his head to one side, it wasn't a direct nod but Brock got the idea and turned his attention back to Agatha.

Ash looked at Lance who was staring directly at him, Lance was looking worried and rightly so – this new information was a game-changer. Lance was looking at him for an answer to whether or not he would still be willing to take on the challenge.

"Another body of one of our messengers was found near the entrance," there was a gasp as the news broke to the group. "As we've been asked to show no more of the images because it has disturbed many of you greatly, we also decided to give you no verbal details either. Take that as you will."

Ash could see that Brock was struggling not to look at him or lean over, they were both very aware of who they sat around and who could see them. Ash already had a target on his back due to his association with Lance; he didn't want to drag Brock into it.

There were many button presses all at once and many people scrambled for microphones, it was during this that Ash took his chance; he slid the folded square of paper out from his pocket and into Brock's hand as secretly as he could.

Once he had it, Brock made a show of fiddling in his pockets pretending to draw out the paper; he unfolded it and read its contents like it wasn't anything important.

"What's that?" Dawn asked while leaning over to have a look.

Brock gently crumpled the paper into a small ball and shoved it back into his pockets, "a note – to remind Ash to call his Mom." It was a credit to his friend that his face didn't change, his voice was slightly higher pitched than normal as he gave his excuse to Dawn.

Thankfully, she didn't suspect anything "- and he still forgot!" Was all she said before turning her attention back to the current speaker.

Brock slightly angled his head towards Ash and whispered as quietly as he could, "this changes things."

Ash didn't answer for a few seconds "not for me, but if you have changed your mind-"

"You're still going?" Brock asked looking horrified, "Ash…this is – I – it's beyond _anything_ that you have-"

"I'm going," Ash interrupted and turned his eyes up to Brock's to show how serious he was. "I have to."

Brock shook his head, "you don't _have_ to _do_ anything. You're allowed a choice Ash, Champion or not – this isn't in the job description! God, when you said you'd eaten some very bad meat…"

"If I don't go then who will?"

Brock rolled his eyes, "Lance? He's more than willing to go regardless of anything-"

"Brock, I'm not doing this to be hero, or for glory, or-"

"Ash," Brock said with slight anguish in his voice, "I'm not saying that's why you are going, or that you even need a reason to go. It's who you are. I get that – if anything I'm the one who understands that the most. I'm just asking you to think a little more about this before you make any rash decisions."

Ash rubbed his forehead and pinched the bridge of his nose, "that's the point Brock. I don't have time to think about it. If I think about it…" he trailed off and looked around at everyone in the room before turning back to Brock, "if I think about it then I'll hesitate and this… I can't hesitate with this. Not when the stakes are so high. I've always trusted in myself before Brock and I'm still standing."

"Ash!" Brock let his name out in a frustrated hiss before stopping himself and closing his eyes to calm himself, "this isn't about trusting fate or how lucky you have been. This is your life!"

He was imploring, but Ash still couldn't change his mind despite Brock's argument "yeah, you're right." Brock gave him a look that implied he was waiting for the 'but.'

Ash finally let out a smile "but it's also your life, Dawn's life. Pikachu and your Crobat's life, these Pokémon's life. That messengers life." He gestured down to the crumpled note in Brock's pocket.

"This?" Brock gestured to his pocket, "this is...like cannibalism. The body of a messenger found with his body scratched open surrounded by his half eaten organs and dead Pokémon found over his corpse? Pokémon are not supposed to eat people!"

"No they're not," Ash grimaced at Brock's more than accurate description of what the note held, "which is my point. Pokémon are not supposed to eat people, they are not meant to behave like this. It has to be fixed Brock. I have to fix it."

Brock looked upset at Ash's firm tone and his stubbornness, Ash smiled at his long time companion, "I'm not asking you to come with me Brock, in fact I don't particularly wish for anyone to come-"

"If you honestly think I'm letting you go in there without me you have lost your mind!" Brock leaned away from Ash to face forward, his displeasure at the situation giving way to frustration and anger.

Ash decided to let him be for the moment, Brock was very rarely this angry with him or if he was, he hid it very well. It showed just how serious Brock was taking this news, they had thought everything that was happening was terrible, but to find that Pokémon had been eating human remains, it was more than a nightmare.

Ash looked for Lance, there was now some colour back in the Dragon Master's face and he was listening to Professor Ivy talk about potential healing tests that the Professors had come up with in the small interim that they had.

Eventually, Lance realized that someone was looking at him and he cast his eyes out, once they fell on Ash the stoic look gave way to one of nervousness. Ash flickered his eyes to Brock briefly as a silent message, then he nodded his head and gave a thumbs up to show that he was still all go.

The relief that erupted onto Lance's face made Ash feel both immensely guilty and pressured. He knew that Lance didn't mean to pressure him into going, but just seeing that relief on Lance's face and wondering what would have happened if he had said no was something he didn't want to think about.

Once Professor Ivy had finished speaking, Lance stood up and directed the crowds gaze to the large screen behind him "thank you all for your input, it is greatly appreciated. Please look up at the screen here, Cynthia and the Elders from Celestic town should be appearing shortly."

Lance fiddled with a few of the buttons on the front of the screen and immediately Cynthia's face popped up onto the screen. She was sitting in front of a Laptop computer, Ash recognized the lounge behind her and the rather comfy couch he had slept on when he visited Celestic Town.

She greeted everyone and then followed that with an introduction to her grandparents, Cynthia moved away from the screen and then repositioned it to where three chairs were sitting, two were already filled and Cynthia sat in the last one.

"Thank you both for agreeing to stand in as representatives and take the time to help out the Kanto League. We are greatly in your debt." Ash watched with mild surprised as Agatha bowed as deeply she could to the Elders in respect.

The two nodded their head back in acceptance and soon a wave of people stood up and bowed, the camera seemed to pan around the room and when it stopped on Ash he stood up and gave an awkward wave.

"Master Ketchum!" Cynthia's grandfather perked up slightly and leaned in to look at the screen, "a pleasure to see you. Glad to see you look well – no please don't bow. How have you been?"

Ash cleared his throat, keenly aware of all the eyes on him, "I'm doing well despite the circumstances, how are you Julian?"

"Fine, fine. I heard that you were in Sinnoh recently, I hope that after this nonsense has all been done with you will come back and visit us for a spell?"

"Grandpa!" Cynthia hissed, "this is not a social call."

The elder man waved his granddaughter away uncaringly,"phooey – if you had done as we asked I wouldn't have to be doing this. Master Ketchum, my wife and I welcome you to stay with us any time you are in the area."

Ash tried to hold in his laughter, there were a few chuckles around him as Cynthia rubbed her forehead in frustration. "Thank you, I will definitely take you and Ursula up on that. Hello Ursula, good to see you as well." Ash smiled at the elder woman who lifted a gnarled hand off her walking stick and waved to him.

Ash sat down as the camera started panning around again so that others could pay their respects to the Elders, when it came back to the center the camera pulled back so that it could show the room at large to the three in Celestic town.

"Now that we are all acquainted…" Lance sent a raised eyebrow towards Ash showing his amusement, "I assume that Cynthia has updated you upon all the latest information from the Indigo Plateau?"

The two nodded and Julian gestured over to Cynthia "Bunny, be a dear and grab us the third edition of-"

Her face flaming red from the use of her pet name, Cynthia shot up from her seat and walked out of the screen. Lance took this moment to turned his face away from the screen, his shoulders were shaking and Ash could see a large smile on his face. He was going to tease Cynthia into eternity with that pet name, when she returned Lance's shoulders had stopped shaking but he was still smiling broadly, more than he should be in the circumstances.

She thrust the book towards her Grandfather with a little more force than was necessary, he gave her a reproachful look but took the offered book and opened it so that his wife could read it. Cynthia addressed Lance through the laptop, her eyes flashing a warning to him if he used her nickname, "I have updated my grandparents on everything that we know, as far as they are aware nothing of the sort has happened – or if it has they have never seen or heard of any documentation for it."

"Then what's the point of this voice conference?" The whiny Trainer from earlier muttered rather loudly. Ash resisted the urge to do what Paul did to him and instead shared a look with Brock; he smiled when he heard a mocking "what a moron," from Paul behind him.

"The point, young man, is to find potential answers - potential solutions to what is happening and bring together as many minds as possible, regardless of their age, to solve this situation." Julian didn't even bother looking up from his book to answer the trainer, the trainer went bright red at the gentle censure and bowed his head to try and hide himself from everyone.

"Ah – here it is!" Julian exclaimed and hefted up the book with the help of his wife. The two held the book up and Cynthia leaned over to have a look at what her grandparents were displaying and she almost toppled off her seat.

The camera zoomed into the book; it showed lines of symbols that were extremely similar to what was being displayed on the Pokémon and discarded bodies of the messengers. One in fact was the exact copy of what was on the Arcanine and the messenger. Whispers broke out and many people started discussing between themselves, the camera zoomed out again to show the faces of Cynthia, Ursula and Julian.

Julian was placing the book on Ursula's lap and Cynthia was fetching her grandmothers glasses, once she had them perched on her nose Ursula addressed the group, "according to this-" she tapped the book with one finger, "these 'runes' are in fact an ancient language – scholars have likened it to our Cuneiform."

"'Likened' it to our Cuneiform? So what – it's older?" Cynthia asked as she started taking photos of the book, "Agatha, I'll be sending these through so everyone can have a better look." She added absently, still clicking away.

"Much older," Ursula continued and pushed up her glasses. "These were found in the 1800's in Mt Coronet by a team known as 'Akagi.' Of course, back then they didn't have the technology we do now to try and figure it out – but it says that this script was found on a medium size tablet of rock and taken back to…Sunyshore city to examine."

There was a movement as all eyes fell on Volkner, Leader of the Sunyshore Gym. He looked unimpressed and apathetic, "I have never seen or heard of anything like that in my life, nor have I seen anything like that in Sunyshore." He spoke slowly into the microphone that was placed in front of him by his long time friend Flint, a member of the Sinnoh Elite Four.

Someone's button was pressed and people turned to look at Professor Oak, Ash readied himself – if he was going to get himself into Victory Road, then this was going to be the person to convince and since he had trouble with that of late, Ash needed every opportunity he could get.

The Professor stood up, "so if this is indeed the same…language as what we are currently seeing on the afflicted Pokémon, how is it that while our first possible recorded encounter with this language was found in Sinnoh, yet now we have these events in Kanto?"

It was a good point and it spoke volumes about Professor Oak's experience – that he was looking for not only the root source, but also the origin of this language to use as a possible foundation for information.

Ursula shrugged, "this book is the only one we have that displays anything this similar to what we have been shown. Because this tablet was found much earlier than any of us were born and is now presumably disappeared from Sunyshore's possession, we have no way to find answers to your questions."

"But surely, through evolution alone there will be a link to another form of language. You mentioned Cuneiform-"

"The book likens this to Cuneiform," Ursula briefly interrupted Professor Oak, "not that it is Cuneiform."

"-Yes, but even so our languages have evolved over many years, starting off with symbols such as this," he gestured to the screen, "into what we have now." Surely, there must be some examples of our language evolution similar to this so that we can put together some form of translation?"

There came a quiet chuckle from the screen, "you misunderstand me Professor Oak." Ursula spoke matter-of-factly, staring at him over her glasses through the camera. "I never specified that this was a human language."

The whole room came to a halt as that little tidbit sunk in, the Professor floundered for a moment. "Do you mean to say that you think this is a…Pokémon language?"

"I don't understand why you're so surprised? A Professor such as yourself, discoveries such as these should be common. Not long ago we didn't know of Pokémon eggs; what we never experience or never see we remain ignorant of. The Unknown - how are we to know that they didn't just manifest as a result due to our creation of the current form of language? These are questions that we have no answers to, however because there is no current need to answer to them, we remain in blissful ignorance."

Ash could help but feel a supreme amount of satisfaction as Ursula debated rather well against Professor Oak, she was arguing a basic point that everyone needed to realize. Without information they would continue to remain in the dark about what was happening, they needed facts and fast. One way was continuing research into the tablet and the study of the assumed Pokémon language. Ash was sure that it was something everyone was more than happy to continue with, while others were doing that; he intended to be scoping out the situation in Victory Road.

"There is no evidence to suggest that this is a Pokémon language-" Professor Rowan stood, seemingly in support of Professor Oak. Cynthia turned her attention from the book to send an annoyed look their way, "there is nothing to suggest that it's not a Pokémon language either."

Professor Rowan and Cynthia began bickering with each other through the screen and everyone in the arena took the time to talk amongst themselves. Ash looked to the Kanto Elite Four and found them all in discussion. Lorelei was shaking her head and Lance was turning away, he caught Ash's eye and shrugged his shoulders.

"A Pokémon language? Seems a bit iffy if you ask me," Paul leaned forward and rested his chin on Ash's chair.

Brock shook his head, "not necessarily. You remember Meowth from Team Rocket? Well that's a special case, but if a Pokémon can learn our language then there is no reason to think that they don't one of their own."

"Yeah, but writing it down?" Paul asked skeptically, "and there is only the one tablet? Seemingly disappeared without a trace? Sounds like a hoax if you asked me."

Once Paul had sat back in seat Ash pondered over what had possibly just been revealed, he looked over to the left of him to see Volkner being hounded by those around him. He was sitting there silently with his arms crossed, refusing to answer any more questions and Ash felt for him, he wasn't even born when that tablet was found and back then it was the Clans that had the most influence. Volkner wasn't part of a Clan, nor did he have any vested interest in old artifacts.

"Agatha, I'm sending through these photos through now." Ash drew himself out of his musings to take a look at the images that Cynthia sent through. Rowan and Cynthia it seemed had met an impasse, Rowan had returned to his seat and everyone was now focusing on the screen in front of them.

As they flickered onto the screen Ash racked his brain for any similarities, they were almost exact replicas of what he had been seeing on the Pokémon, that much was clear. Nothing came to him until he reached the second to last one; he immediately pressed his button and stood up.

He could hear the shuffles of people moving to look at him and Brock calling his name questioningly. "Please, could you switch back to that last photo?" Ash asked absently, hoping that what he had just seen wasn't real.

Lance gave him a worried look and slowly switched the photo back, Ash took it in and he could feel his heart sink and his throat tighten up. He felt Brock rise next to him and Dawn's whisper of "oh my god," he was glad he wasn't the only one that got it – if he was he would have a hard time explaining himself.

"Master Ketchum," Agatha spoke his title sharply, "if you have any information we would be grateful to hear it."

He could hear the anger in her voice, like she thought he had been hiding things. If he had seen this before he definitely would have told someone. He opened his mouth to speak but found that he couldn't, his throat was dry and scratchy and he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Master Ketchum!"

Ash kept his eyes shut as he talked; he could feel the derision and suspicion pouring out from the eyes of nearly everybody as he gave his explanation. His hands were shaking and as he blurted out what he had promised never to reveal, he could feel the white hot sting of betrayal flood down his spine. He wanted to cry, he wanted to curl into a ball and never come out of it.

There was silence once he had finished, he half expected to be struck down the moment he stopped talking and be turned into dust.

"You've seen Arceus?" Ash opened his eyes and looked towards the screen. Cynthia was looking at him with wonder. Her grandparents were smiling at him and nodding, he could hear Julian say "I'm not surprised."

Ash looked around; there was a large degree of skepticism coming from many people – mostly those from Hoenn and Johto. Ash supposed that those from Sinnoh wanted to believe in this god-like creature that came from their myths, and those in Kanto probably didn't know what to believe in anymore.

Ash took a quick glance towards Lance, he was looking nervously round at everyone and Agatha was staring at him intently. He cleared his throat and addressed Cynthia, "yeah –I've met Arceus."

"Arceus is a myth." Professor Ivy said sharply from the other side of the arena.

"Then how come I've seen him?" Ash challenged to which he received a taken aback look from the Professor.

"I've seen him as well," Ash felt his knees buckle slightly as Brock stood up with Dawn not too far behind claiming her sighting of the Legendary Pokémon.

"You are meant to report any sightings you see of Legendary Pokémon, I wonder as to why you have not yet done so…up until now."

Ash rolled his eyes at the biting tone, "oh I don't know, maybe because Arceus is meant to be the creator of the Pokémon world? When you meet a Pokémon with that much significance you don't really want to anger him, so when he asks you not to tell anybody – you don't tell anybody!"

Professor Ivy didn't take to well to his sass and stood up, her argument was cut off by Agatha, who spoke softly but had an edge of steel in her tone. "As interesting as I'm sure your opinions are Professor, you are currently not taking care with regards to our rules. Master Ketchum has pressed his button and is still speaking, please allow him to finish until you give us your point of view."

"I'm sure if _Master_ Ketchum had anything of actual fact to say and not just fanciful myths, then no one would have to interrupt his nonsense."

There was a hush of silence, Professor Ivy's sarcasm around his title was an insult, like she was almost questioning whether he deserved it or not. Ash noticed that Agatha was clutching onto Lance's wrist. The Dragon Master had stood up the minute she had said his title in such a derisive tone.

Ash let out a smirk, "how many legendary Pokémon have you encountered Professor Ivy? As you are well aware of my history, you do know how many I have seen – all of which I have reported. Professor Oak can testify to that."

Professor Oak, surprised at being mentioned and being joined into the argument, stuttered a bit before nodding and backing up Ash's claims.

Ash nodded, "I think I know a Legendary Pokémon when I see one, one doesn't just say they've met Arceus. Besides, I was with Brock and Dawn when I saw Arceus and they've already backed up my claim with their own."

"Anybody can lie," Ivy responded with a sniff of her nose, "especially friends. If you had seen Arceus before and you are connecting _that _symbol with the legendary Pokémon, why are you only telling everybody now? Why did you not let everyone know the minute you got to the Plateau?"

"Because I hadn't seen this symbol until about five minutes ago – when everybody did! I can't connect two things together until I've seen and know of them both!"

"Professor Ivy-" Oak tried to intervene, no doubt to try and salvage the situation, but the woman cut him off rudely with a swipe of her hand.

"Really? So just based on this image and your 'meeting' with Arceus, you are claiming that that symbol is representative of that Pokémon?"

Ash paused for a long moment; just at the moment where Professor Ivy looked satisfied that she had won the argument he spoke up, "Cynthia – you or the Elders wouldn't happen to have an image of Arceus would you?"

There was a shuffling from the screen as the three family members did their best to rummage up a picture of the legendary Pokémon. Professor Ivy had scoffed was tapping her foot impatiently as they all waited for the picture to show up, Ash could feel his heart racing – if he was proved right, which he knew he was, it would help immensely with his goal to get into Victory Road.

"Got it!" Julian sang out loudly, Ash turned to the screen as Cynthia quickly whipped it out of her Grandfather's hand, her eyes widened and she looked up at the laptop to lock eyes with Ash. She smiled at him and he nodded at her, she could see it as well.

"I'm sending it through now," she said with a shake in her tone. There was an anxious tension within the arena as they all waited to see who was right and who was wrong. Once Lance had received it, he took a preliminary look at image on the screen in front of him and then looked up at Ash; he let out a grin and then pressed one of the buttons to put the picture up onto the big screen.

"Have a look at that image of Arceus and tell me that you don't see it?" Ash asked.

Which she couldn't do and he knew it. The cross-like wheel that wrapped around Arceus' body was exactly the same as the symbol that had previously been up there. There was no mistaking it and Ash couldn't help but feel slightly vindicated; Professor Ivy had sat down, her argument now completely invalid.

Ash followed suit and looked around, another interval was going on and everyone in the arena was talking. Lance and rest of the Kanto Elite Four were discussing with Cynthia, Julian and Ursula; Dawn was regaling people about her adventure with Arceus. Ash didn't have the heart to tell her that she probably shouldn't, Arceus had asked him to keep his existence a secret and Ash had just thrown that completely out the window.

It took a while, but eventually the Kanto Elite Four turned back around to address the crowd at large, there was a current in the air, people were still whispering and wondering what was going to happen next.

Lance addressed the crowd and summarized all the information they had and what action they were going to take with what they had. The Professors were going to split their group, half were going to look into a possible treatment for the afflicted Pokémon and the other half going to study this new language.

The Gym Leaders and Elite Four were going to look into the history of their towns and regions. As a result from the surprising information regarding Sunyshore City, no one wanted to take anything for granted. The Trainers were all to be split up and sent to various libraries and museums throughout the four regions to expand the research mission.

There was slight applause from the crowd showing that they all agreed with this course of action to take, Lance raised a hand for quiet. "We have another idea - a rather radical one. We propose we send a team into Victory Road. A team of about four people from this room."

There was an instant uproar and many people looked around in shock, others had stood up to voice their protests. After a few minutes Lance addressed the quieting crowd again, "are you protesting the idea of sending someone into Victory Road because of the danger factor, or because none of you want to be the ones to go in?"

Ash sighed at Lance's lack of tact, the Dragon Master had a point and many people, blustery though they still were, backed down almost immediately. Lance nodded with satisfaction, "now – are there any volunteers?"

"Lance!" Agatha couldn't hold in the hiss of the Dragon Master's name and he shrugged at her. Ash rolled his eyes at their bickering – it really wasn't the time.

"This isn't a simple matter Master Lance," Julian spoke up from the screen, "what you are asking is potentially life-threatening and as it has been noted many times – we simply do not know what we are dealing with."

"Exactly, but sitting here talking about the 'what-ifs' and the 'potential something or rather' isn't going to get us anywhere. The time for talking is over; it's all we've done for months and we have nothing to show for it. We need action – we need something to happen."

"I wouldn't call the discovery of a Pokémon language 'nothing' Lance," Cynthia spoke up tersely.

Lance raised an eyebrow at her, "can you read it?"

The glare she sent him made Ash recoil in his seat slightly, Lance turned back to the crowd satisfied with Cynthia's lack of response. He had obviously been on the receiving side of that glare more than once. "I'm not saying people have to volunteer for it –I do know of the dangers, in fact I am fully prepared to be one of the four within this team. However, as a member of the Kanto Elite Four I am not allowed to be designated as the Leader of a mission." Ash didn't miss the disgruntled look Lance threw over his shoulder to an uncaring Agatha.

"I know it's an easy thing for someone like me to say, but I need to believe that there are answers and I know that you all care about Pokémon as much as I do – you wouldn't be here if you didn't. I don't want to see anything like this again and I won't rest until I exhaust every corner of the world to find answers."

There was a silence and Ash could see that even Agatha looked shocked by Lance's imploring speech. His head was bowed and he looked like he was pleading with those in the room.

For a split second Ash wondered if it was all part of Lance's ploy to get people's sympathy, to get people to agree to this idea. He waited to see if Lance would raise his head to look at him and when he didn't Ash decided that he didn't care about his friends motivations or whether he was acting or not. He was sick of being in the room and sick of talking about what could possibly happen.

He grabbed the microphone from Brock and stood up before he could psych himself out any further, "I'll go."

* * *

**End chapter.**

Okay, so it's been a while and hopefully not too many of you have to re-read to get a grasp of what has happened up till now.

The reason this chapter has taken longer? Well – first off it took me a while to get this chapter to where it needed to be, I ended up changing a lot and moving pieces about and switching direction. This part (Ash getting into Victory Road) is taking longer than I expected, but good things do take time and I'm adding in some new pieces that will hopefully make this story more exciting and more emotional down the line a bit.

Second: I went on holiday for a week! Yay me!

Third: Earthquakes. I live in NZ and as some of you may be aware, we've had a couple of biggish jolts –meaning that I was out of my building for work for three days (which meant I had TONNES to catch up when I got back.) The earthquakes have, as of now, caused no major significant damage that I'm aware off, but being in Wellington, running along major fault lines – we're not in a particularly safe area. Our buildings are built to extremely strong code, but after what happened with Christchurch…well…

Fourth: I have a BETA! Many thanks to Auramaster for saying yes to my request. (You should seriously all go and read his fics, like yesterday. His 'verse is fabulous. I'm tempted to (after i've finished this) to see if he will let me have a little play and use it for another fic) I sent him this chapter two weeks ago; he still hasn't got back to me. (If you are reading this – I do hope you are okay!?) I figured it's been about two months in between this and the last chapter and I really don't want to lose my mojo, so I'll keep trucking and edit as best as I can.

Auramaster – I'm figuring you're probably extremely busy or something happened? Or maybe your just not interested any more – which either way is all good! So I'm just going ahead and posting regardless. I'm very impatient and I'm losing my rhythm for this story (never good.)

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and given me their thoughts, hope you enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think.

**P.S: For those interested, I **_**promise**_** – next chapter you will know exactly who is in Ash's team! **


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

* * *

Ash winced as he ran a damp cloth over the crusted blood that had dried around his eye. A black eye and a cut above his eyebrow notwithstanding, Ash figured he had got off pretty lightly all things considered.

Ash had anticipated that Lance was not going to take his 'choice of team' well. The crushing guilt he had felt when he had spun those dials was something he could probably never explain to Lance – and even if he could, he was sure that Lance wouldn't understand it fully.

He rinsed off the cloth and squeezed out the excess water before shuffling out of the bathroom and back to his shared room. Brock was currently trying to placate his younger brother – who hadn't like the idea of Brock entering Victory Road with Ash. If Brock hadn't managed to get in front of him when he did, Ash would probably be sporting two black eyes instead of one.

Forrest, on some level, had probably always resented Ash. The young man had had his Brother, his only constant for so long, ripped away from by some young upstart with the same 'unreachable' dreams as everyone else. Albeit, Forrest was an extremely capable Trainer and Gym Leader and as much as Brock had been their parental figure and deserved a chance to do what he wanted, so did Forrest.

Ash figured he deserved as much as Forrest's frustration and anger as Flint and Lola did, but he wouldn't retract his offer to Brock. Once Forrest calmed down enough to not want Ash's face to meet one of his rock-solid fists, then maybe he would explain his choice to Forrest and hope that the young man would understand more than Lance ever would.

Ash sat down on his bed and gently rubbed Pikachu's back. His Pokémon had been cooped up for most of the day, Pokémon were not allowed in the Summit and Ash didn't want to risk anything happening to Pikachu – especially with them being so close to Victory Road, so he had locked the door with Pikachu inside it.

He had received a large jolt for his troubles on his return to his room and had then been ignored for the rest of the evening. Ash had taken it in stride, as much as he had received black looks from friends of his, Gary Oak in particular, and claps on the back in appreciation from most others – it was the worried looks that he had received from Agatha, Professor Oak, Paul and Misty that had disturbed him the most.

Agatha's had been understandable – she knew what was to come what with the potential breakdown of his and Lance's friendship. Professor Oak, again not so surprising, despite his aversion to Ash re-entering the Kanto League, Ash know the Professor still cared a great deal about him. It was his lack of debate that puzzled Ash the most, why the Professor would fight so hard to keep him from entering the Kanto League, yet let him go on his merry way in to Victory Road at a time like this was bizarre.

Paul had shot him a worried look and had then proceeded to stare intently at Dawn with the same look for a good few minutes. Dawn had apparently sent Ash an extremely wounded look when the final wheel had been spun and his team was chosen. At the time he had been too focused on Lance to worry about anyone else, Dawn wasn't talking to him and was holed up in her room – again another talk he would be having in the near future.

He forced himself not to think of Misty as he let the damp cloth fall to the floor beside his bed, he didn't want to overanalyze what she could have been thinking, or what it might have meant by her watery eyes and extremely stricken look.

Ash tried not to jostle Pikachu too much as he pulled back the sheets and hopped into bed, he let out a sigh of contentment once he had fully relaxed and let himself drift off to sleep.

* * *

_**Flashback to a few hours ago…**_

* * *

"I'll go."

The minute he had spoken those two little words he wished he hadn't. He could feel a lump in his throat and taste the bile coming up.

Things were about to change, he kept his eyes on Lance's bowed head and could see Agatha looking between the both of them out of his periphery vision.

You could have heard a pin drop after his declaration, the weight of the stares on him was heavy. Ash knew there would be people who looked grateful, others that looked suspicious. He was trying to avoid certain gazes, but he couldn't help meet Professor Oak's eyes, filled with painful resignation, with his own willful defiance.

He refused to look at Misty.

Cynthia and her Grandparents were smiling at him proudly while Agatha was unreadable – he knew a million thoughts must be going through her mind of all the possible outcomes.

Lorelei was one of the few that looked relieved and Bruno was full of suspicion, he was looking between him and Lance as through trying read their minds. Lance still hadn't raised his head, so Ash couldn't gauge his reaction.

"Ash! What are you doing?" Dawn hissed at him, her tone was urgent and he knew she was extremely worried for him. He hadn't told her about any of this and for good reason; he continued to ignore her while she reached over Brock to tug at his hoodie sleeve.

Ash waited for something to happen, he and Lance had talked about potential possibilities – who and what would stop them from achieving their goal.

No one was saying anything; they all seemed to be waiting for Lance. It seemed that the time for talking was indeed over.

"Is there any reason," Lance began, he sounded hoarse and his head was still bent, "for anyone to suggest that Master Ash Ketchum should not take on this mission?"

Again there was silence, Dawn was shifting in her seat and looking back and forth at him and Brock wondering what was going on. Brock was holding her hand and had shaken his head at her when she had tried to stand up.

"Master Ash Ketchum, do you fully understand what it is you are volunteering for?" Lance finally raised his head to look directly at Ash.

Ash was momentarily taken aback by what he saw; Lance looked like he hated what he was doing, there was no triumph in his face, only tired acceptance.

Through all this, Ash had forgotten how much of a friend he was to Lance. Sometimes it was hard to separate the Dragon Master from Lance and then again from the Champion. He seemed to be three separate entities at any one point in time.

While Ash was not doing this for any other reason other than having to fix an enormous problem, Ash realized he had lost sight of why Lance was doing all of this. He had been drawn into the politics, the structure; he had let people override his faith.

"I do," Ash looked at Lance directly in the eyes, but he didn't bother hiding the shake in his voice.

Ash knew that Lance was no doubt mistaking the heaviness in his voice, it was not frustration nor resignation, it was the inevitable back-stabbing and the fear that Lance would never understand.

Ash didn't have very many close friends, especially those that he kept in contact with on a regular basis. Travelling a lot made it more difficult than it should be; it also meant that more people would know where he was at any point, Ash like the anonymity of his journey. It was hard enough being the Three Region Champion; if more people knew where he was he would always be sought out.

The precious few friends he did have, Ash wanted to keep them for as long as he could. He was pretty sure he may lose a few over the next couple of days. Or at least, his relationship with them would change.

Ash squared his shoulders and pushed those thoughts to the back of mind and addressed Lance again, "I do, however, have two conditions." Ash noticed Agatha's small smile and a few people started whispering shocked at his audacity.

Lance himself had raised an eyebrow, "name them."

"First, I want my Mother here at the Plateau. I'm not leaving here till she is safe and settled in with your promise that she will be protected and never threatened with expulsion."

Whatever apprehension that had been in Lance's face had now vanished, there was genuine amusement there now and a touch of respect.

"Done – and your second condition?"

"I expect to see this in writing."

"A contract will be written up for all parties to sign outlining everything in detail. You will be expected to read over and agree to it, you will not be going anywhere until you sign it. What's your second condition Master Ketchum?"

"I want to choose my own team for this mission; I would also like to ask privately. "There was a tense silence following that condition and many people looked around nervously, hoping not to catch Ash's eye lest they be chosen. Lance opened his mouth to speak but Ash quickly cut him off, "whether they choose to go or not is entirely up to them – but some anonymity would be preferred. If whomever I ask choose not to go, I don't want any negative comments to fall on them. No one should have to know but myself and the people I ask."

Lance paused for a moment and then turned back to look at Agatha, at length she stood up and addressed Ash. "Master Ketchum, as much as we understand your desire for privacy we cannot allow it. We will allow you to choose your own team, however it must be done in front of everyone present – allowing for second votes and for everyone to express their opinion."

Her voice was light, but Ash detected a hidden note underneath her explanation. He decided not to push his luck and bowed his head slightly in acceptance. Agatha accepted his nod with one of her own before addressing the crowd at large, "as you have all heard – Master Ash Ketchum will be our Leader for this mission, he will be choosing his team shortly-"

An alert went up and Agatha stopped in surprise, many people looked around for the source of the button press, Ash was not surprised to find that Professor Oak was standing up – not many people would interrupt Agatha so abruptly.

He cleared his throat, "while most of us can all agree that there is no finer candidate than Master Ketchum to take on this mission, I must question the haste in choosing a team, doing it now is very abrupt and not very fair. Many of us are still getting used to the situation at hand, adding on the top of that the pressure of going into Victory Road. One also has to assume that Master Ketchum has not thought of a full team yet, he will need to think long and hard about who he will choose."

To Ash's surprise, it was Agatha that came to his defense. "Thank you for that perspective Professor Oak, however as you yourself have said – there is no finer candidate than Master Ketchum. One would imagine that in having done and seen so many amazing things, that you have heard about firsthand, Master Ketchum would know exactly who he would want to join him on such an undertaking."

Ash bit the inside of his cheek, her tone was dry and slightly scathing and it made him want to give her a high five. Professor Oak tried to speak again, but Agatha interrupted quickly "and as we are all well aware, time is of the utmost essence. If Master Ketchum has a team in mind – then I would suggest we all brace ourselves and get on with it. If there is a majority vote for more time, we will suggest a suitable timeframe."

Ash and Lance shared a subtle grin with one another, grateful to have Agatha on their side and her bulldozing nature. Professor Oak had sat back down, he looked resigned and disappointed with the situation; he had turned to look at Ash who refused to meet his eyes.

In the end there had been no vote despite Agatha calling for one, people had just murmured amongst themselves and none had raised their hands for or against. While this had been happening, Ash had made his way around the seating in the arena; he stood at the bottom of stairs they had walked down when they came in. His back was towards the Gym Leaders and members of the Elite and he looked forward to the Kanto Elite Four in the centre of the room.

He could see Cynthia fluffing around in the screen above making tea for her Grandparents, both of whom were smiling and urging him on with waves of their fists. They would be disconnected shortly with the group as the screen would be used to display

"Ash Ketchum, please step forward onto the platform when it stops in front of you." Ash nodded to show he understood Lance's instructions and slowly the platform came into view. One it had stopped Ash stepped onto it and a hushed silence came over the arena again.

"Before you are three dials, these dials correspond with every registered Trainer, Coordinator, Gym Leader, Professor and Elite Four Member in the Kanto, Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh regions. When you are ready please use the dials to find and pick members of your prospective team." Ash nodded to show that he understood the instructions.

Lorelei addressed the crowd, "once Master Ketchum has chosen – that person's face and details will show up on the screen behind me. Master Ketchum's choice must be seconded and by someone other than the Kanto Elite and the person in question. Once seconded, that person will be asked whether or not they will to join Master Ketchum."

By the tone of her voice alone, it went without saying that should anyone be heckled or be sent any negative comments upon their refusal to join Ash, there would be consequences.

"Master Ketchum, when you are ready."

* * *

"Ash – wake up"

It took a while for Ash to stir, but eventually he did manage to crack open the one eye that wasn't swollen shut.

He could see Brock smiling at him and holding out water and aspirin, Ash took the water and medicine with a croaky 'thank you'. As Ash leaned on the wall his bed was against, he closed his open eye and tried to ignore the thrumming pain in his head and around his eye. He could hear water rushing in the adjacent bathroom followed by Brock's soft footsteps.

"Here, you still have some blood on your face." Brock offered him a wet cloth which Ash took gratefully.

"Thank's man, how's Forrest?"

Brock didn't speak while he made-up his bed and when he was done he sat down on the bed and let out a heavy sigh, one side of Ash's mouth quirked up, "that bad, huh?"

There was silence between the two for a moment before Ash spoke up "I won't insult you by telling you that you shouldn't come," Brock let out a tired smile, "but he's your brother."

"We are still on speaking terms Ash, besides it's not me I'm worried about. It's you."

Ash chuckled, "what's one more black eye?"

Brock shook his head, "that's not funny – you're about to do something extremely dangerous and all people seem to want to do is either resent or laud you for it."

Ash shrugged, "it comes with the territory. I got the same kind of reaction when I became the 'Three Region Champion' – remember?"

"This is different," Brock gave him a hard look, "people are forgetting what exactly you volunteered for, this isn't going to be a walk in the park just because you're the Champion."

Ash eyed his friend for a few seconds, "Brock, if you are seriously having doubts you gotta tell me-"

"I'm not-"

Brock was interrupted by a knock on the door, they were both surprised and Brock got up to answer the door.

"What are you doing here?" Ash had been leaning his head back against the wall to rest, but at Brock's incredulity at who was on the other side of the door he leaned forward to have a look, "who is it?"

Brock stepped back warily and let the person step though, to Ash's immense surprise it was Forrest looking mulish and like he wanted to be anywhere else.

"Forrest!" Ash ripped the blankets off himself and got up, "hey, I was going to come and find-whoa!" With dizziness overcoming him, Ash fell back on the bed almost falling onto a still dozing Pikachu.

Brock immediately went to his friend who was sitting on the bed and put his head between his legs, "it's alright Brock – really. I just forgot how hard Lance can punch. Seriously, I'll be alright in a minute."

Brock pulled back from Ash and turned to look at Forrest who was doing a very bad job of hiding his satisfied smiled. "You find this funny?" Brock asked angrily to his little brother who immediately stopped smirking and glowered at Brock.

"It's alright Brock, it is a little funny." Ash tried to placate the him but Brock wasn't having it.

"It's funny to watch someone in pain? Your Champion nonetheless?"

Forrest muttered something quietly that neither Brock nor Ash could hear it, although Ash assumed it wasn't something that he wanted to hear. "What was that?" Brock asked.

Forrest set his jaw and looked his brother straight in the eye, "I said: He's not _my _Champion."

There was a tense silence between the two and Ash noticed that Brock was clenching and unclenching his fists, a noticeable sign that he was trying to hold in his anger. There was nothing that Brock could say to that, Ash wasn't the Champion of Kanto in fact he had no official title within the Kanto region. Most people didn't know that they needn't call him 'Master' while he was in Kanto; it was only when he was in Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh that his titles counted.

However, because of the respect that the Kanto Elite Four gave to him, it had become more or less a habit for most people.

Ash stood up and made his way over to the brothers, "It's alright, Brock-"

"He's insulted you-" Brock hissed at Ash, "brother or not-"

"He's right though," Ash spoke softly and it stopped Brock from speaking any more. Ash gestured to Pikachu, "he's been locked up for too long, would you mind taking him for a walk? He's not really talking or dealing with me at the moment."

Brock turned to look at the sleeping Pokémon, "and what will you do while I'm gone?" His tone suggested that he already knew the answer.

Ash let out a chuckle, "I'm surprised he was still on my bed when I woke up to be honest." He didn't bother addressing the question and Brock let out a frustrated hiss before walking over to Ash's rumpled bed. He gently swooped up Pikachu and then strode out of the room with a slam of the door.

Ash didn't acknowledge Forrest and went back over to his bed, he lowered himself into a sitting position and lent back against the wall. He waited patiently for a few moments before he looked at the younger man standing awkwardly at the door, Forrest caught his eye and the false bravado that he came in with evaporated.

Ash smiled slightly and gestured to Brock's bed on the other side of the room, once Forrest had sat down Ash started speaking, "I get it – and before you interrupt me, please just hear me out."

Forrest nodded and shut his mouth; he had no doubt been going to tell Ash that he didn't 'get it' which to a degree, Ash would fully admit. He wouldn't know the complete feeling of utter abandonment by both his parents, and the feeling of his older brother leaving him in charge of a Gym to go off on his own journey.

Ash studied Forrest a minute, the young man had been 10 when he had been handed the Gym – the same age Ash had been when he left on his Pokémon journey all those years ago. They were about the same age and while Ash had seen and done so many things in his life already, he could guarantee it was nothing compared to Forrest.

The responsibility on his shoulders was immense, his parents were always running off and following their dreams, the Gym needed constant looking after as did his 8 younger siblings. Ash had to admit that he had expected this conversation a long time ago.

"You are remarkable," Ash began and Forrest's head shot up from where he had been steadfastly looking into the carpet.

Ash nodded and laughed a bit, "yeah – you really are. I mean here you are - same age as me and having been a Gym Leader for longer than I've been a Champion. You have 8 younger brothers and sisters to take care of, your parents aren't around and your older brother is off chasing his dreams…probably like you want to be doing."

Forrest couldn't meet his eyes and it suddenly occurred to Ash, "no-one's ever asked you have they? What you want to do? What your dream is?"

Ash didn't receive a response so he kept going, "in all the years that I've known you, I've never heard you complain once. Ever. Any time I come and I take your brother away – again. You always see us off with a smile; you always welcome me into your home-"

"It's different this time," Forrest finally interrupted him and Ash took a moment before asking why.

Forrest gave him a look as if to say that he was mad, "were we in the same Summit meeting? Did you hear and see the things I saw?" He went into a further tirade, going into the great danger and immense risks that were involved in them going into Victory Road. When he was finished Ash let him take a moment to get his breathing back under control before asking again, "but why this time?" Forrest threw his hands up in frustration which made Ash smile, "I understand the danger – believe me. Sometimes I even think about running away and never coming back."

Forrest looked surprised at his confession, "it's true. The thought of going into Victory Road right now scares the crap out of me. I remember when I went through it the first time – even without all this going on, it's still scary. There are very strong Pokémon through that tunnel and with what is happening to them now…" Ash trailed off and shook his head, "regardless – this isn't about me right now. It's about you and Brock and why this time are you coming forward? Every time Brock and I go off together there is a chance of something like this happening, always. Why only now are you saying something? What has changed?"

Forrest ran a hand through his hair and then messed it up; he didn't say anything so Ash pressed further, "Brock and I were hunted every day for years by Team Rocket, we've met some of the most strongest and volatile Pokémon in the world – and we've stopped a few of them from annihilating the human race. All of which, I'm pretty sure Brock has told you about. You never said anything then – at least not to me. So why is it that you are so eager to punch my lights out? What is it that I have done-?"

"You could get Brock killed!"

Ash stopped, Forrest was looking at him with utter wretched despair in his face. Tears were pricking at his eyelids and he rubbed his eyes to stop them from falling. "You always – it _is_ different this time. Even you said it yourself, that you are scared." Forrest started crying in earnest and Ash watched uncomfortably from where he sat, waiting for him to finish. "Did you ever stop to think that Brock didn't want to go with you all the time? That maybe he only went with you because no one else would?"

"Yes."

Forrest stopped abruptly at that frank confession; Ash stared at the wall, at his blanket – at anything but Forrest. "Yes, I have. Many times, over the years, truth be told. I once even entertained the idea of just leaving from Pallet Town and not going to Pewter at all, just bypassing it completely and heading off by myself – but that evening I got a call from Brock asking me if he should bother taking his third pot since there would only be the two of us. He sounded so excited and because of that I couldn't wait to go."

Ash heaved in a sigh and leaned his head back against the wall, "I have felt guilty for taking him away from you, you know."

"Then why did you take him away? If one feels guilty, normally it means they know they are doing something wrong."

Ash smiled sadly, "I guess I figured that I don't have a brother and you have several."

"Not older brothers," Forrest argued.

Ash nodded, "indeed, but I also reckoned that Brock would always go back to you when you needed or called for him. Every time I took him away, I expected him to leave part-way through and never come back. But you never called…"

"That doesn't mean I never needed him!" Forrest stood up and yelled at Ash who raised his head and finally looked at him.

"If I could say 'sorry' to you and mean it I would, but I'm not sorry for taking Brock away from you."

Forrest gaped at him.

"I am sorry for what your parents did, for you being left to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders, for not allowing you to chase your dreams. But I will never be sorry for taking Brock on my journey with me. He is my brother in every way that counts-"

"In every way that counts?" Forrest interrupted angrily, "he's my brother by blood and DNA!"

Ash broke the slight silence after Forrest's interruption, "did I ever tell you about Shamouti?"

Slightly confused by the change of subject, Forrest shook his head in the negative allowing Ash to continue. He went into detail about the adventure he had around the Orange Islands and how he was deemed 'The Chosen One.'

"Brock hadn't been there, he was with Professor Ivy at that point…did he ever tell you what happened there?"

Forrest grinned and shook his head, "no – but if you ever find out let me know."

Ash tiredly raised his thumb up, "so I was being pulled out of the water by Misty at this point and I'm dragging myself up the stairs…"

He continued on with his story about Shamouti until he got to where he was riding through the sky on Lugia's back.

"That's sounds really cool…"Forrest said with envy colouring his tone, "but why did you tell me this?"

Ash cricked his neck and stretched out his arms, "because it was the first big adventure that I had without Brock, and it was also the scariest."

Forrest still looked lost so Ash elaborated, "I can't go through Victory Road without him. He is more than my strategos, he is my anchor, and he calm's me down and makes me think. I never would have made it this far without him; I seriously doubt that I would be a Champion without him!"

Ash moved himself towards the edge of the bed, "I don't have any right to ask this of you and I'm not going to promise you that Brock won't get hurt, you and I both know that's an impossible guarantee. But, please let Brock join me in Victory road and I will do everything in my power to make sure that he comes back to your family alive."

* * *

_**Continuing flashback…**_

* * *

The first dial was easy, he was pretty sure that everyone in the room knew who he was going to pick at this point. He spun until he got to Kanto and eventually Brock's face showed up in front of him, he pressed down and locked in his friend's name.

Brock's face and details popped up on the screen a few moments later, "Brock Harrison – originally from Pewter City and former Pewter City Gym Leader. Currently travelling companion of Master Ash Ketchum," there was laughter due to Agatha's amused and dry tone, Brock and Ash exchanged a thumbs up and Brock stood up, "does anyone second this choice?"

Immediately alerts popped up onscreen, Dawn ripped the microphone from Brock who had been passed it upon his name coming up on the screen, "seconded! I second it!"

She bounced up and down waiting eagerly for Agatha to give the okay, "thank you for that, does anyone not agree with this choice?"

There was scuffle behind Ash and he turned around, Forrest was being held down by Lt Surge and Koga who sat on either side of him and Crasher Wake who was holding his shoulders down to keep him from standing, "but he's my brother!" Ash heard Forrest hiss and he turned a glare upon Ash that made the Champion step back slightly.

Ash turned to Brock who was looking at the scene with slight irritation, Ash sent his friend a confused look to which Brock sent back a dismissive wave.

"Is there a problem?" Ash turned back to the Kanto Elite Four all of whom were standing and trying to see what was going on.

"No, there is no problem Master Agatha, and just so you don't have to ask, I will go, most definitely." Brock interjected smoothly and then sat down effectively ending any more argument. Agatha looked suspicious for a moment but eventually let it go, "the first person to join Master Ash Ketchum on his journey is Brock Harrison, seconded by Dawn Berlitz. Master Ketchum, your second choice."

Ash spun the second dial until he found Tracey's face, he locked it in.

* * *

It took a while for Ash to start moving once Forrest had left, they hadn't shook hands or anything but Ash didn't have a second black eye and he had Forrest's consent – to some degree. He would take it nonetheless.

It took him a while to reach Dawn's room; he was walking at a rather slow pace due to his aching head, he really hoped she was in there. Ash knocked on the door to receive no answer, he let out a sigh. "Dawn? It's Ash – please open the door."

He heard some shuffling and then silence, "Dawn – I really don't want to leave here before we talk. I don't want to go into Victory Road with you angry at me, especially when I may not come back."

Again there was silence, Ash let out a groan and turned his back to the door, he slid gently down it and sat on the floor with his back against the door. "You'll probably get a kick out of seeing me – black eye and everything. I think Lance really did something for the team this time around."

Still not hearing anything, Ash decided to play his final trump card.

"You know, this floor is actually quite comfortable, I could probably stay here all night…what do you say to a sing-a-long, what's that song you like?" Ash took in a deep breath only to hear footsteps running to the door, it was pulled open and Ash fell backwards onto Dawn's feet.

She was glaring down at him and he grinned sheepishly up at her, "don't sing," was all she uttered at him before roughly pulling her feet out from under him and marching back over to her bed.

She had left to door open however and Ash thought that was a pretty good start. He slowly got up and entered her room; she was sharing with Candice – the Snowpoint Gym Leader. Gingerly, Ash took a seat upon the end of Candice's bed and addressed Dawn.

She wasn't looking at him and was hugging her pillow to her chest; Piplup was also glaring at him unhappily, realizing he was the source that made Dawn so upset at the present.

"Dawn...I'm really sorry."

Ash didn't have to wait for a reaction; Dawn wasn't one to hide her feelings. She let out a scoff and turned a scowl upon him, "what? For not picking me to go with you, or for not telling me?"

"For not telling you," Ash clarified, he watched the emotion's play on his young companions face and she struggled to hold in her tears.

"You were never going to take me with you, were you?" She asked with a hitch in her tone.

"No, I wasn't." Ash admitted, "I should, however, have told you – paid you at least that courtesy."

Dawn snorted and rolled her eyes, "yeah, pay me the courtesy of telling me what you were doing – oh and that I wasn't good enough to come with you!"

Ash furrowed his brow, "it's not about whether or not you're good enough Dawn-"

"Then what?" She demanded angrily, "what made you keep something like this from me, what made you decide not to tell me – other than the fact that you knew I would ask why and you were too afraid to tell me the truth!"

Ash let that outburst settle for a moment, "not afraid – more that I couldn't…bank on you not to tell anyone else."

It took a moment, but soon Ash found himself craning his head up as Dawn loomed over him, "are you telling me that you couldn't TRUST ME?!" She ended up yelling in his face, Ash closed his eyes and rubbed the side of his face that didn't have his black-eye, he let out a sigh, "I do trust you-"

"Really? Because by what you just said it doesn't seem to be the case, or is it dependable on certain things? Like the higher the danger the less we tell Dawn, maybe these names might ring a bell with you: Darkrai, Giratina, ARCEUS -"

"Yes, Dawn – I get it, please stop yelling at me." Ash interrupted and gestured to his head to show that he was in pain. Dawn huffed and flopped back on her bed, she was still scowling at him, waiting for an explanation.

"I didn't tell you about this Dawn because you have a habit of discussing things you shouldn't,especially with the wrong company and if you interrupt me again I will leave out that door."

Dawn looked mulish but shut her mouth all the same, Ash continued, "normally it's not a big deal – but with this Dawn…even I wasn't supposed to know as much as I did. Lance took a huge risk in telling me everything he knew and I did the same with Brock. All three of us could have been barred from ever dealing with Pokémon again. Can you blame me for not wanting to get you further involved? "

Dawn didn't answer, but her face softened a bit and Ash ploughed on, "If I had told you about the plan, it would have implicated you and your face tells a thousand words Dawn, I needed you to look surprised today."

"Congratulations then, surprise wasn't exactly how I would put it though." Dawn smiled at him briefly and Ash gave her one back.

"I am sorry for not telling you Dawn, please believe that."

Dawn nodded, "I do…and yeah, I'm a bit of a blabbermouth. I probably shouldn't have told people all about Arceus today."

Ash chuckled, "I'm sure it will be alright, besides I broke that promise first." The two shared a laugh and Ash got up and made his way over to Dawn, he sat down beside her and stretched his legs out over the width of the bed.

"As for me not bringing me with you Dawn, it was hard enough for me to decide to go – let alone choose who to take with me."

"I would have said yes, I would have gone without hesitation."

Ash smiled and took one of her hands in his, "I know you would have. Its part of the reason I'm not taking you. You barrel into things head on, with energy and passion and you're so full of life Dawn…Victory Road will take all that away from you."

Dawn side-eyed him, "you don't know that-"

"I do, know that, Dawn." Ash interrupted her and turned to look at her, "going into Victory Road – it's not about how tough you are, or how strong your Pokémon are. It's not about how smart or analytical you are, or how fast you are on your feet. Victory Road alone tests you on every level that you have, Victory Road with what's happening now…it will kill you Dawn."

Dawn swallowed and squeezed his hand, "and it won't kill you?"

Ash closed his eyes.

* * *

_**Continuing flashback…**_

* * *

"Tracey Sketchit, Junior Research at Professor Oak's Laboratory in Pallet Town, Kanto."

Ash looked from the screen that was currently blinking Tracey's details at him, to look at the man in question. He was looking surprised and was pointing to himself as though to make sure, he looked to Ash who shrugged and smiled.

"Does anybody second this?"

There was a tense silence as no buzzers went up and for a moment, Ash felt his heart sink to his stomach.

"I do, I will second this."

Ash whirled around; Misty was standing behind him with the microphone in her hand determinedly looking at Agatha and not at him.

The elder woman nodded and turned her attention to the Researcher, "Mr Sketchit – will you join Master Ketchum and company into-"

"Yes, yes – of course!" Tracey interrupted Agatha with fervent agreement making Ash grin at the sour look on Agatha's face.

"Thank you Mr Sketchit , we understand that you _want_ to go." Agatha said icily and Gary reached up to pull Tracey back into his seat and took the microphone off of him. Agatha nodded her thanks to him briefly before addressing Ash again.

"You're third and final choice, Master Ketchum?"

Ash laid a hand on the wheel and scanned his brain wondering who on earth he could take, or at least who would agree to go. He knew that he had to choose fast, any lingering would indicate that he wasn't quite sure.

He spun the dial at random and kept going till he reached Johto and then it hit him, spinning quickly Ash found who he was looking for and locked her in.

He kept his head down as the name flashed up on screen and many people gasped in astonishment.

"Clair, current Gym Leader of Blackthorn City and member of Clan Blackthorn, Johto…" although she did her best, even Agatha couldn't hide the bewilderment in her voice.

Ash wasn't looking at her, he was looking at Lance. His friend had immediately turned his back on the congregation, but Ash had noted the split-second look of confusion on Lance's face before he had made that turn.

"Does anybody second this?" Agatha asked through clenched teeth, she was glaring up at him with a look as if to say 'you had better have a good explanation.'

Karen, the final challenge of the Johto Elite Four rose out of her chair and gestured for the microphone, "I will second this." She smiled at Clair and then passed the microphone back over to her.

Clair took the microphone as Agatha spoke, asking if she was willing to go. She took a moment and then turned her attention to Ash; she didn't say anything but just stared at him for a good few seconds. "I am willing to second this choice," she spoke quietly and bowed her head slightly to Ash.

He smiled back at her gratefully and then turned back round to face the Kanto Elite Four, Lance still had his back turned and Agatha was whispering furiously to him – probably trying and no doubt failing, to salvage the situation.

Lorelei, noting that both Agatha and Lance were busy between themselves, took on the rest of the duties and closed out the Summit. She reiterated what was going to happen and asked for Ash, Brock, Tracey and Clair to meet tomorrow afternoon to discuss further about their plan of action.

As people filed out slowly one-by-one Ash stayed where he was, the platform that the Kanto Elite Four were standing on was slowly being lowered to the ground and Ash was hoping that Lance would stick around so that he could explain himself.

He was so busy worrying about it that he didn't notice that most people had left, "Ketchum!" Ash jumped slightly at the snarl of his last name. He turned around to see who had addressed him and if Brock hadn't managed to grab a hold of the fist that was aiming for his face, Ash was sure he probably would have tumbled backwards over the platform railing by the force of it.

"Shit-!" Ash stumbled back as he watched Brock force his brother back away from Ash, "what the hell?" Ash asked out loud to no one in particular.

Forrest was hurling insults and threats his way, Ash sent Brock a look that read 'explain please?' Brock just shook his head, "it's alright – I'll talk to you later. You should probably go and talk to Lance."

Ash nodded, still bewildered and edged his way around the brothers. He walked back around the arena to another set of stairs that led down to where Agatha and Lance were. Every step made him feel like he was plummeting, his legs were like jelly and his hold on the railing was sweaty.

He took it step by step down the hallway, it was barely lit and was shorter than he liked, he grinned to himself wryly, it was like déjà-vu – standing at the end of a dark hallway and waiting to enter the arena to battle.

Although this time it was only him doing the battling, he didn't have his Pokémon with him and he could lose more than a match this time around. He entered through the doors and into the arena, the bright lights made him blink as he adjusted to the change and he found himself staring directly at what he could only described as an incensed Dragon Master.

As Ash took a few steps towards Lance he saw Agatha put a hand on his elbow and speak loudly enough for the both of him to hear, "let him explain himself."

She was angry too, he could tell by her tone and he knew that he would not get any sympathy from her.

Lance wasn't looking at him; he had barely reacted since he had walked out onto the platform to meet him. Ash stopped in front of Lance and didn't bother to give him a smile or a look of apology, "Lance-"

That was all he got out, before he could say any more the Dragon Master had launched at him and threw a punch to his head that had him blacking out for a few seconds and crumbling to the floor.

* * *

"I thought I told you to stay in your room?"

Ash jumped, he closed Dawn's door and turned around to see Agatha standing behind him. He sighed, "Lance was right – you really are like your ghost Pokémon."

She gave him an evil grin, "thank you. Now – why are you out?"

Ash gestured to the door, "I had to talk to Dawn, needed to get things straight before I left."

Agatha raised a brow, "you have a few days at least before you go, you couldn't have waited a bit and done as I had asked?" She asked drily, as though knowing it was impossible.

Ash grinned, "I could have I suppose, but with Dawn it's best to just rip off the band-aid. Waiting would have caused more problems than it solved. But I promise – last visit for today. I'm heading back to my room now. You can even escort me there!"

He held out his elbow to her and she looked at it with a mix of disgust and amusement, she started walking away in the direction of his room and Ash joined her in-step.

"How is your head?"

"Still there."

"I suppose that is all that really matters."

Ash laughed and her candor and then winced in pain; Agatha noted this and spoke up quietly, "your Mother should be arriving in a few days."

Ash looked at her in surprise, "Cynthia is picking her up on her way back from Celestic Town. I took the liberty of asking Professor Oak to inform your Mother. I figured with your current state, you wouldn't want to see her face-to-face."

She gestured to the black eye that he had and he nodded, "thank you – I appreciate that." He smiled gratefully at her.

"While I was talking to Professor Oak, he also brought up a very good point," Ash grinned at the annoyance in her tone, "he will be heading back to Pallet Town to meet your Mother and help Cynthia escort her here, he mentioned that a lot of your Pokémon are kept at his lab."

Ash knew where she was going with this and he let out a heavy sigh, they stopped outside of the door to his room and she raised a brow at him, "you should think about this for today, decide what team you want to take with you. Professor Oak will be arriving in Pallet town tonight, so I suggest you contact him tomorrow and exchange your Pokémon."

Ash nodded tiredly and grabbed at the door handle with a yawn, "Lance will forgive you, in time."

Ash shrugged and Agatha bristled, "don't pretend that-"

"I'm not pretending anything," Ash interrupted her shortly, he turned to look at her and although her face didn't betray her, on the inside she was extremely worried for the young man in front of her. He looked like he was about to collapse from the strain of everything.

"I have so many things to think about, people are questioning everything I do, every choice I make! I have the 'team' meeting tonight, and I have to decide which Pokémon I want to take with me. Pokémon strong enough to make it through Victory Road and back and also one's I wouldn't mind potentially _sacrificing_. I get to see my Mother for all of a day probably, have her worrying and fussing over me – making me feel even worse for not seeing her in so long. I have friendships that I have to mend; I have explanations to make, conversations that need to happen. I have people looking at me in the hallway wondering why I now have a black-eye, some of my friends and Pokémon aren't even talking to me and in a few days I'm going to enter into what may aptly be described as hell-!"

Agatha closed her eyes at his biting tone, but she let him continue ranting. Throughout all of this she didn't think she had ever heard him complain, he had just taken it all in stride and had made some extremely difficult choices. Choices that, despite his age and experience alone, would be difficult for anyone, he was to lead a team – he was to take responsibility for everything that happened once the four entered Victory Road, the lives of people and their Pokémon was on his shoulders, it wasn't an easy burden to bear.

Combine all that with the loss of friendship, trust and loyalty of many people; it was no wonder that at the moment she was looking at a shadow of the young man she had seen only a few days ago. The young effervescent man that had entered into these halls, tired from a long journey but happy to be in his home region, happy to be amongst friends and peers alike.

" – as far as I'm concerned, Lance and his bloody fists can wait until I'm ready." Ash finished his outburst with a deep breath in and after a few moments he looked sheepish, "I'm sorry Aga-"

She raised a hand to stop his apology and fixed him with her beady eyes, "get some rest, I will see you tonight."

* * *

_**Continuing flashback…**_

* * *

Ash woke to find Agatha standing over him and Lance stepping over him to walk out of the arena, Ash tried to call out to him but found that he could barely move. He groaned slightly in pain and stayed on the hard floor for a few moments to stop the dizziness.

He felt a prodding at his waist and looked around to see Agatha prodding him with her walking stick; he looked up at her with slight outrage. She pursed her lips and rose and eyebrow, "I'm not coming down to you," she said tartly and walked over to one of the chairs.

Ash slowly got up and made his way over to the chairs, he slumped down in one and clutched at his head, "I forgot how hard he could punch, jeez."

She let him wither in pain for a few moments, "as much as I am enjoying seeing you like this," Ash looked at her incredulously, "we do have to cut to the chase."

"You_ enjoy_ seeing me like this?"

"You hurt Lance," she said simply

Ash gaped at her, "but you _knew_ I was going to have to!"

Agatha sneered at him, "I knew that you were not going to take him, what I didn't expect was that you would take his_ cousin_instead!"

Ash rolled his eyes and Agatha poked him again, "ow – would you stop with that?"

"Don't give me sass boy; my faith in you is fading, rapidly."

They had a stare off for a few minutes before Ash gave in, "she was the best choice-"

Agatha let out a snort at that and Ash clenched his jaw to stop him from saying something he might regret, "you and I both know I couldn't have taken Lance with me, right?"

"Yes, we've already hashed that out. What I want to know is why you are taking_ her_ with you."

"Because I'm pretty sure after what you've told me regarding the Blackthorn Clan, and with Lance now probably not listening to either of us-"

"Just you, he is currently still talking to me."

"And how long will that last? Lance may be angry but he's never been stupid. He will put two and two together and realize that you were in on this with me," Ash pointed out and Agatha glared at him.

"Soon he won't be talking to either of us, do you really want Clair around him while he isn't talking to and resenting us?"

Ash saw the change in Agatha's face when she realized what he was getting at and slowly her face morphed into a smile, "you're taking her with you to stop her from getting to Lance while you're away."

Ash grinned, "after what you told me – I don't want any negative influences on Lance. We need him and if the Clans have anything to do with what is going on now, we can't have anything happen to the League, we can't go back to what once was."

Agatha nodded, "you couldn't have told me about this earlier?"

"What, so you wouldn't have prodded me with your stick?"

"I still would have done that, but I would have stopped this from occurring."

She gestured to where Lance had hit Ash and he shrugged, "I deserved it – I betrayed him."

"For a good reason," Agatha returned to him and stood up from her chair getting ready to leave.

Ash slowly joined her, "it doesn't matter the reason, all that matters now is that I have to fix it.

* * *

The team meeting had been awkward to say the least, all members of the Kanto Elite Four were present along with the Professors of the varying regions, and Clair, Tracey, Brock and Ash were also there. The elephant in the room, being the now possibly defunct relationship between Ash and Lance stood out, with the two of them not talking to anyone, Ash only making nods when he was addressed.

Agatha led the meeting as per usual and her, Brock and the Professors were the ones that decided on the best course of action. Tracey interrupted every now and again much to Agatha's immense irritation, at one point she had turned to Professor Oak and had told him, in much more vocal terms, to shut him up.

Clair was studying him and Lance intently, obviously noting that the two of them were not interacting like they normally were. The contracts had not even been written up yet; she had every right to back out whenever she wanted to. The thought of that unnerved Ash, he was banking on her thirst for glory to carry her through to the end, the thought of being part of the team that comes out from Victory Road with valuable information would hopefully be enough for her.

It had been one of the most painful hours of Ash's life, but once it had been over Ash was not surprised to see that Lance was the first person up and out of his chair, Ash hastily followed ignoring the calls of his name as he followed Lance at a distance.

Lance was heading to the lifts and Ash hesitated to join him there, his hesitation cause Clair to be able to catch up with him and stop him from following Lance any further.

"We need to talk," she pulled him away from the lifts and Ash struggled to relieve himself of her hold.

"Not now Clair, I need to talk to Lance."

"Well that's obvious, your little bromance is cracking at the seams, I don't care – what I have to say is more important."

"Highly doubtful."

She sent a sharp-teethed grin towards him, "you don't want to follow him where he's going anyway. He's heading to the battlements, if he's pissed enough at you for whatever you did or didn't do, he may just throw you over."

With that comforting thought, she pulled him into one of the communal lounges that was thankfully empty. "Alright Clair, what is so important that you had to drag me here by the scruff of my neck," Ash asked jokingly as he rubbed his sore chest from where her nails had been digging in.

She faced him head on, all traces of a smile gone. "Why did you pick me?"

Ash paused for a second, "you don't want to go?"

"Don't answer my question with a question."

"On the contrary, I need to know Clair. If you don't want to go – I need to get someone else – and fast."

She tapped her foot irritably and he crossed his arms, "if I gave you an answer to your question, would it change your choice to go?"

She didn't answer, but the look on her face read 'maybe.'

Ash uncrossed his arms and sighed, "I picked you for three reasons Clair."

She stopped tapping her foot and he gestured for the two of them to sit down, "I'll stand," she said in reply and Ash grinned before taking a seat himself.

"Don't mind if I do then?"

"Just get to the point!" She started pacing while he talked.

Ash chuckled, "One – is that you are my friend and I trust you." She raised an eyebrow at that and he held up his hand, "It's true. I need people I can trust on this journey. You can also stay calm under pressure, although we have to work on that stubbornness."

She let out a laugh at that and stopped pacing, "next?"

Ash raised a hand to the back of his head, "without trying to sound too sexist, there were already three guys in the team, we needed a female."

She stared at him and he shrugged nonchalantly, "men and women co-exist for a reason, balance, its basic Yin and Yang, two sides of the same coin; and four men on a team? That's a whole lot of testosterone and I needed a female to help balance it out at least a little."

He could see her brow furrowing and he elaborated further, "in my experience…I've found that there are only some things a woman can do."

She grinned at that, "very true – we are the superior gender. The third?"

He ignored her little dig and continued, "thirdly – I needed a Juggernaut."

There was silence for a few seconds before, in a rather insulted tone, Clair asked "a Juggernaut?"

Ash nodded, "yeah – someone strong, someone who could go the distance. There was me right? The 'Leader,' Brock - my strategos, Tracey who has the eagle eyes and ability to see things that other's can't-"

"And me," Clair finished for him, "the _Juggernaut_."

"Exactly!" Ash beamed at her, but she didn't look very convinced.

He sighed, "you are a Dragon Pokémon Trainer, a Gym Leader - your Pokémon are some of the strongest around, you have trained for stamina and power – two of which I both need. I need somebody who was willing to go in for possibly the long haul. I needed someone who was strong enough to take on this challenge."

"As well as being a friend and a female?" Clair asked shrewdly.

Ash nodded again, "preferably yes."

She raised her chin, "so why not any of the other females that you have travelled with before? I'm sure they are good friends of yours, you trust them and-"

" – and they are not as strong as you." Ash interrupted, he looked at her pointedly. "Dawn is a Coordinator as is May. Victory Road would destroy Dawn and May hasn't been invited here, nor can I wait any longer."

Clair narrowed her eyes, "Misty?"

Ash just stared at her.

Clair broke off with a laugh, "wouldn't that be awkward?"

She continued laughing as she imagined it and Ash let her, pleased that she was amused and was no longer suspicious of him.

"So are you done grilling me? Can I go find your cousin now and have him do the same thing?"

Clair waved her hand towards the door, still laughing.

He had almost made it out the door when she called him again, "Ash...why is Lance so mad at you?"

Ash paused and he clenched his hand around the door handle before he opened it, "because I broke a promise."

* * *

**Flashback to seven years ago. (Ash is almost 17)**

* * *

The two teenagers collapsed onto the grass, each clutching at their bodies in pain.

"I think you broke a rib!" Ash managed to gasp out and clutched at his side.

Lance let out an evil chuckle while holding his dislocated shoulder so that it wouldn't move as much, "good."

"Dick-"

"Bastard-"

"You are both morons!" The two looked up to see an exasperated Brock staring down at them, Lance grinned at Ash who raised his hand in a thumbs up gesture to Brock.

Brock shook his head at the pair of them and turned around to go back to camp, "dinner is ready and I'm not keeping it warm for you, nor am I fixing you guys up either!"

"Aw, c'mon Brock! Brock!"

"I think he's mad at us," Lance spoke blandly as they watched him leave, Ash let out a laugh and then winced as his ribs ached, he rubbed the area and scowled at the Dragon Master, "you did that on purpose."

Lance slowly got up and walked over to Ash, "guilty, however I give you the great pleasure of putting my arm back in place."

"Woo."

Lance hunkered down beside Ash who was finally able to sit up properly, "you going to be able to do this?"

Ash nodded, "yeah, give me a minute though."

Lance nodded and the two sat quietly for a few minutes until Lance broke it, "are you feeling better?"

Ash stared at him and then gestured to himself and the damage that Lance had caused, Lance laughed loudly, "not physically – I mean obviously you're not okay there, I do throw a mean punch."

Ash scoffed, "If I weren't in so much pain I'd hit you again."

Through his laughter, Lance managed to clarify what he meant, "about Misty – are you feeling better?"

Ash paused from the banter for a moment and looked up at the stars, similar to the ones that he and Misty shared while at the Lake of Rage. He fiddled with some of the dewy blades of the long grass he and Lance were sitting in and breathed in the fresh scent of flowers, again – not unlike the scent that was about when and Misty were in Floaroma town for her birthday that time.

"For a moment," Ash started quietly, "I had forgotten about her."

"Good."

Ash looked sharply at Lance who was looking calm and relaxed despite his firm tone, "how is it good?" Ash asked.

"It's good, because it tells you that you can live without her."

Ash snorted, "I wouldn't say being beaten to a pulp is 'living.'"

Lance laughed, "no – but it took your mind off her, which is why I am here. To take your mind off her."

Ash side-eyed his friend, "is that why you baited me?"

Lance cringed, "you recognized that?"

Ash nodded with a smirk on his face and Lance sighed, "damn, I got to work on that."

Ash laughed, "yeah, you do. And by the way – if you say anything like that about her again, I won't let you off easy this time."

Lance furrowed his brow, "let me off easy?"

Ash moved closer to get a better hold on Lance's arm, "yeah, you're lucky I realized that you were baiting me."

Lance stopped Ash from grabbing hold of his arm, "and what If I meant what I said about her?"

Ash stopped and met Lance's eyes, "did you?"

Lance considered what he said, "some of it, hey! Where are you going? Ash!"

Ash had immediately stood up and walked away, Lance caught up to him and pulled him around to face him when Ash exploded, "she's not perfect, okay? I know that – but neither are you or me, or anyone else. We all make mistakes! Mistakes can be fixed!"

Lance let go of his friends forearm while Ash yelled at him, he waited till Ash had finished before asking, "and what if it wasn't a mistake?"

Ash glared at him, "you can't talk about her like that, you don't know her!"

Lance nodded, "your right, I don't. Certainly not like you know and not like Brock knows her, or Dawn or her sisters. I've only met Misty about a handful of times – if that."

Ash could feel the rattling in his chest as Lance explained his point of view, he hated that it made sense. He tried not to let the tears fall but he couldn't help it.

"I don't have the faith in her that the rest of you do, you know me Ash, I'm not the type of person that trusts easily."

"She loves me!"

Lance grimaced, "does she? Cause her actions say otherwise. If she loved you even half as much as you loved her then why has she gone and left you?"

Ash had no answer to that and just continued standing there with tears silently rolled down his face.

Lance pushed on, "I get that there is something there between the two of you, even a blind person could see it, which makes her leaving all the more weird. It doesn't make sense to me and I can't forgive or support what she's done to you."

Ash shook his head and rubbed his eyes, "she hasn't done anything to me."

"I didn't mean physically – that was me. But everything else, it's like you have nothing inside of you – like she's taken everything you had with her and left nothing but a husk!"

Ash rolled his eyes, "I'm not a-"

"What happened to the Gym Challenge? As far as I'm aware you haven't battled with your Pokémon in weeks?"

"Stop."

"Is this what a Champion should be like?"

"Stop!"

"Are you a robot? Do you only work with your little girlfriend around?"

"STOP!"

Lance took a step back as Ash roared at him, he had been trying to push Ash's buttons – to get him to react and so far he was succeeding, however he didn't exactly expect this much of a reaction.

Ash took a few deep breaths to control himself, "I'm not like you Lance – I can't just turn off my feelings like a light switch if and when I choose to!"

Lance ignored the insult, "I'm not telling you to switch it off, I'm telling you that you need to get moving again – you need to for-"

He stopped himself, but from the look in Ash's eyes he already knew what Lance was going to say.

Ash smiled bitterly at his friend, "forget huh? Like it's that easy…she was there for everything Lance. She was the first person I met on my journey…I still owe her a goddamn bike…"

Lance grimaced tightly, "'forget' is the wrong choice of word, I'm sorry Ash – It's not that I want you to forget her. I just…I want you to start, at least _trying_, to learn to live without her."

Ash shrugged his shoulder, "it's not that easy, Lance. With you it's different; you shut yourself off from Jasmine. You never even give either of yourselves a chance-"

Lance held up a hand, "don't change the subject. We're not talking about me – we're talking about you. And you're right, it won't be easy but that is why I am here. To help."

Ash laughed, "and your way of helping is to kick my ass?"

Lance grinned, "hell yeah!"

The two shared a laugh and eventually they got back to where they were supposed to be, with Ash trying to pop Lance's arm back into place.

"Alright, you ready?"

"Wait – Ash, just…I-"

"It's not going to hurt that much."

"You know that you're…like…my best friend right?"

At that Ash stopped and looked at Lance's profile, the Dragon Master was staring off into the distance towards the camp, where their cold food was probably still waiting for them.

Ash lightly smirked, "no I didn't know that, bu-"

"Don't joke about it, this is the only time we will talk about this and we will never mention it again." Ash laughed at Lance's brisk and rather embarrassed tone of voice. "Okay, I won't say anything – I promise."

"Good…I don't have many friends. Especially friends I consider to be…close ones. But just so you know, you are one of them and…if you ever need me…"

"I get it – and that goes both ways!" Ash grinned and took a hold of Lance's arm again.

"Good, because if something like this happens again I don't want to get a call from Brock telling me that you're pretty much dead to the world and that I need to come and beat you out of it – Argh!"

Ash popped his arm back into place, "Brock was the one that called you?"

Lance clutched at his arm and through clenched teeth he managed to get out "yip."

"Right-"

With that Ash got up and started marching towards the camp, "what are you doing?" Lance yelled out across the field as he too started to get up.

"I'm going to kick Brock's ass – he's the one that brought you here, he deserves a beating just as much!

* * *

It was a chilly night up on the battlements and Ash was glad that he was wearing his hoodie at least. He hadn't been up there before and in the end he had to ask for directions from Agatha.

He finally made it up the winding staircase to the ladder and trapdoor that was his access, the trapdoor was open, signaling that Lance was still up there.

He pulled himself up and out and was finally standing on top of the Indigo Plateau. It was a great view and probably gave way to some amazing sunsets and sunrises. Once he had finished looking at the view, he looked around for Lance and found him on the opposite side, gazing out to Victory Road.

Ash cautiously made his way round to the other side to where Lance was, he was only a few feet away when Lance moved his head and looked at him directly.

They looked at each other for a long moment, Lance with eyes full of thinly veiled anger and hurt and Ash, nothing but determined.

"Are you ready to listen to me yet?"

Lance chuckled wryly and slowly got up from where he had been sitting, he stalked towards Ash and stopped only a few steps in front of him.

He gave a wicked, slightly crazed grin, "dazzle me."

Ash refused to be intimidated, "are you actually going to listen or am I just wasting my time right now?"

"Oh I will listen, I want to know exactly why the person I chose to call, in probably my greatest hour of need, the person that I trusted above everybody else, my best friend, my _brother,_ decided to betray, insult and mock me all in less than one minute."

* * *

End chapter.

26 pages later…good place to end it yes?

I hope you guys enjoyed this, I tried to make it as clear as possible – there are two flashbacks in here. The first is (what happened at the end of the last chapter) interspersed a few times with that is happening in the present, and the second is a bit of the history between Lance and Ash's rather volatile bromance.

So Ash has had a few chats with people, a lot of explanation and emotion going on this chapter, I'm really pushing the danger factor with Victory Road for a reason. It's not going to a perfectly awesome; they are all going to be safe ride. In fact – this has been the easy part. =)

I'm also pushing the friends and family emotions too, Ash having brothers in Lance and Brock – some people getting jealous about that. Ash has (in this fic) achieved quite a lot in a short(ish) amount of time. He couldn't do that without friends and family, so he holds them quite dear – but he also won't take any shit. Which is how I wrote him, he's not perfect (or at least if you think so currently, wait for it!) he's going to make some mistakes (if he hasn't already, Misty anyone?)

Also: If you ever want to know how far along I am with next chapter – look on my profile, near the bottom I'll have a percentage of how much I have done and every time I write some more, I'll update it.

Okay, if anyone has any thoughts, comments and concerns – please review! I really would like to know your thoughts.

If you want to discuss anything in detail (with or without potential spoilers) just shoot me a PM

Next chapter: Lance vs Ash Part II, Mrs Ketchum makes her fabulous arrival, a chat with Gary and...one secret revealed.


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